On Sunday October 20th we held our 6th Annual Caterina Grace Foundation Walk for Life at Eisenhower Park raising awareness and funding for the rare and devastating disease, Nemaline Myopathy. Since it’s inception in 2017, this was the BEST weather we have ever seen. Caterina and my mom, Phyllis Ziniti, were certainly shining down. We had nearly 300 people in attendance and raised $50,000!!! We are forever grateful that so many people take time out of their days once a year to join us for this important cause that continues to be a beacon of hope and light for us and families affected by this disease.
A tremendous thank you to our board members -Karen, Colleen, Wendy and Scott. Without them the undertaking needed in planning this event would not have been possible. Your commitment means the world to us.
Our INCREDIBLY GENEROUS DIAMOND SPONSORS
Chris Boylan – Licensed Associate Broker EXIT REALTY
Mike Romano – Romano & Associates
National Medical Consultants
Joe Calvagno ALL COUNTY COLLISION
WITH PRIDE HVAC Michael Joesph Dolan
Anthony Ziniti MAP ESTATE PLANNING
THE FINNEGAN FAMILY Dan Finnegan
Lorraine Lods
The Madden Family
Dover Caterers and Dream Events for supplying us the breakfast spread, the tents bounce house DJ and face painter and Dominick’s Italian American Deli for our lunch spread.
Those that bring the magic to our walk:
Thank you to Long Island Ghostbusters Angelo Antonio Gisonda and the crew for attending our walk for a 2nd year straight, raising over $1,400 and also the contribution of the raffle PROTON pack! As well as A Dream Is A Wish Parties LLC for coming with their SPIDERMAN this year!
ALL 70+ of our raffle donors, collectors, and wrapping perfectionists that help to make this such a STANDOUT at our event! This is a massive undertaking and we thank you for all your efforts.
Our volunteers who help put on the production and match our energy and hearts to give kids a smile and bring joy and happiness to this day. They truly embody the motto- “do well by doing good.”
And YOU! Thank you for reading this post! For coming! For donating! For spreading the word about our event! We wouldn’t exist without YOU! So thank you from the bottom of our hearts for allowing us to pour the love we have for our Angel Caterina into this cause.
As Chris Boylan says, “till a cure….”
On Friday April 14th, we had the pleasure of visiting Dr. Alan Beggs’ Laboratory at Boston Children’s Hospital and formally presenting him and his team with the $30,000 donation we raised from the Caterina Grace Walk in October 2022. Dr. Alan Beggs is the Director of the Manton Center for Orphan Disease Research @bostonchildrens and Sir Edwin & Lady Manton Professor of Pediatrics @harvardmed. Throughout his career, Dr. Beggs has led the discovery of 11 new disease genes resulting in muscle diseases and has pioneered the development of gene therapies targeting muscle myopathies. Genetic muscle diseases are caused by mutations in specific genes. The current goal for treatment is to identify a way to safely deliver a healthy copy of affected muscle gene to diseased muscle cells. Dr. Beggs current work involves using benign adeno-associated viruses or (AAVS) to deliver healthy intact genes targeting entry directly to muscle cells. MyoAAV is a new group of adeno-associated viruses (AAVs) developed by Dr. Sharif Tabebordbar that uses a modified outer protein shell of AAV, known as capsid, to deliver genetic therapies with greater efficiency and at lower doses. Early trials in mouse models have shown success in restoring strength, improving muscle function, and correcting growth, thus increasing lifespan for mice carrying the corrective gene in both Myotubular myopathy and Duchenne muscular dystrophy. This promising treatment is now currently being tested in human cells in the laboratory and has the potential for targeting treatment for other organs thereby providing a potential treatment for a wide range of genetic conditions!
