GRIFFINS AND BLASHILL TO RAISE AWARENESS FOR DUCHENNE MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Grand Rapids Griffins and head coach Jeff Blashill will join the fight against Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy this weekend in support of Western Michigan University’s “No Bad Days” campaign. In an attempt to raise money and awareness for DMD research and cure efforts, the players will wear stickers on the back of their helmets, and Blashill will donate $100 of his own money for every goal scored by the Griffins on Friday and Saturday.

A cause close to the heart of Blashill, WMU’s “No Bad Days” will raise funds for Jesse’s Journey, an organization aiming to find a cure for DMD. As head coach of the WMU Broncos during the 2010-11 season, Blashill worked alongside associate coach Rob Facca, whose son, Louie, is affected by DMD.

In conjunction with Jesse’s Journey, “Grandpa Bob’s 4,000-Kilometre Walk for Louie” will take place from May to December, when Bob Facca, Louie’s grandfather, will walk from Quebec City to Winnipeg in order to raise money for DMD research. In May 2012, Grandpa Bob walked 500 kilometers across Ontario and raised $250,000 for his cause.

Diagnosed in roughly one in every 4,000 boys, DMD is a degenerative genetic disease that affects the muscles of the body, including the arms, legs, heart and brain. While there currently is no cure, researchers have made major strides toward a cure for the disease, thanks largely in part to fundraising.

Jesse’s Journey has funded more than $1.2 million in new DMD research projects in both the United States and Canada. Through donations, the organization has supported research that has made major advancements in clinical discoveries, helped children with DMD to live longer lives and made significant improvements in the quality of life for those living with the disease.

If you would like to make a pledge towards Jesse’s Journey or learn more about “Grandpa Bob’s 4,000-Kilometre Walk for Louie,” please visit jessesjourney.com/.