Walk with the Parrish family and help find a cure
On April 10, the Jim and Sandy Parrish Family will host their eighth annual MDA/SAM Parrish Family Walk-a-thon and it will again be held at the New Philadelphia High School gym. This event raises awareness and funds to benefit research with the Muscular Dystrophy Association and Seek a Miracle, helping people with neuromuscular diseases and their quest of finding a cure one day in the near future for Friedreich’s ataxia (FA).
FA is an extremely rare, progressive degenerative and life-shortening neurological disorder that can lead to diabetes and heart disease. There is no cure for FA, however, doctors believe researchers are close and there are several clinical trials in progress that may help slow down progression or may even reverse it.
Lindsey Parrish was diagnosed with FA in 2003 and her family has hosted many fundraisers with the Muscular Dystrophy Association, including the annual walk-a-thon, which has raised nearly $200,000. Lindsey’s progression is noticeable, but with the help of others and her scooter, she does as much as any 20-year-old sophomore college student.
In April of 2008, the Parrish family had the other two daughters genetically tested and were given the devastating news that Emily, 17, and a senior at New Philadelphia is also afflicted with this debilitating disease. Emily does not show signs of her FA, but did participate in a drug trial that took the family to Philadelphia monthly for two years.
The Parrish family feels so blessed with the outpour of generosity that friends and family have expressed with the continual fundraising and they hope to make the walk-a-thon event better in 2011.
Lindsey’s father, Jim, the fire chief of the New Philadelphia Fire Department, and her mother, Sandy, a hair dresser at A Cut Above, both have teams formed in the work place. There are also teams with their church family at First Christian Church, as well as personal family teams and various school group teams, including a much spirited competition between a New Philadelphia and a Dover team.
All donations are tax deductible and are going exclusively to help fund research and finding a cure for FA. Checks should be made out to MDA/SAM (Muscular Dystrophy Association/Seek A Miracle) and can be mailed to The Parrish Family, 393 Schoenbrunn Dr. NE, New Philadelphia 44663.
Anyone interested in participating in the MDA/SAM Parrish Family Walk-a-thon is welcome. Contact the Parrish family at parrish86@roadrunner.com or 330-308-0699. Anyone can participate in the walk-a-thon, however, only those with a minimum of $100 sponsorship will receive an exclusive commemorative T-shirt. Attendance the day of the event is required to receive the T-shirt. The walk-a-thon event also consists of door prizes, refreshments and awards for top sponsorships. In past years, there has been as many as 120 walkers, including 90 in 2008 with an overnight snowfall of 20 inches. The Parrish family is most grateful for all the help and blessings.
FA is an extremely rare, progressive degenerative and life-shortening neurological disorder that can lead to diabetes and heart disease. There is no cure for FA, however, doctors believe researchers are close and there are several clinical trials in progress that may help slow down progression or may even reverse it.
Lindsey Parrish was diagnosed with FA in 2003 and her family has hosted many fundraisers with the Muscular Dystrophy Association, including the annual walk-a-thon, which has raised nearly $200,000. Lindsey’s progression is noticeable, but with the help of others and her scooter, she does as much as any 20-year-old sophomore college student.
In April of 2008, the Parrish family had the other two daughters genetically tested and were given the devastating news that Emily, 17, and a senior at New Philadelphia is also afflicted with this debilitating disease. Emily does not show signs of her FA, but did participate in a drug trial that took the family to Philadelphia monthly for two years.
The Parrish family feels so blessed with the outpour of generosity that friends and family have expressed with the continual fundraising and they hope to make the walk-a-thon event better in 2011.
Lindsey’s father, Jim, the fire chief of the New Philadelphia Fire Department, and her mother, Sandy, a hair dresser at A Cut Above, both have teams formed in the work place. There are also teams with their church family at First Christian Church, as well as personal family teams and various school group teams, including a much spirited competition between a New Philadelphia and a Dover team.
All donations are tax deductible and are going exclusively to help fund research and finding a cure for FA. Checks should be made out to MDA/SAM (Muscular Dystrophy Association/Seek A Miracle) and can be mailed to The Parrish Family, 393 Schoenbrunn Dr. NE, New Philadelphia 44663.
Anyone interested in participating in the MDA/SAM Parrish Family Walk-a-thon is welcome. Contact the Parrish family at parrish86@roadrunner.com or 330-308-0699. Anyone can participate in the walk-a-thon, however, only those with a minimum of $100 sponsorship will receive an exclusive commemorative T-shirt. Attendance the day of the event is required to receive the T-shirt. The walk-a-thon event also consists of door prizes, refreshments and awards for top sponsorships. In past years, there has been as many as 120 walkers, including 90 in 2008 with an overnight snowfall of 20 inches. The Parrish family is most grateful for all the help and blessings.
Published: April 7, 2011
