Local Companies Inspire Hope for Young Branford Boy Battling Rare Disease
Murphy Beverage Co. have just announced the launch of charitable fundraising programs to support one local boy’s battle against Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) in partnership with Cure Rare Disease (CRD), a leading non-profit dedicated to precision medicine therapeutics for rare genetic diseases.
In February of 2018, Branford residents, Jesse and Stephanie Herzog, connected with CRD’s Founder & President, Rich Horgan, to seek deeper insight for their son, Max (age 4) who has been bravely fighting against DMD since his diagnosis at just 6 months old. Horgan’s younger brother, Terry (age 24), and family have also been impacted by DMD for three generations.
CRD is collaborating with world-class researchers, geneticists, and clinicians nationwide to develop customized therapeutics for select rare diseases like DMD and seven others. The Herzogs recently joined CRD’s board with the goal to support their efforts and develop a personalized treatment for Max, versus the traditional “one-size-fits-all” industry approach that has struggled to date.
In April 2019, CRD achieved an unmatched milestone using gene-editing technology that successfully cured Terry’s cells in a lab dish with their customized therapeutic, and are working towards approval for clinical trial next summer. Max’s treatment is under development in parallel, but time is of the essence.
Murphy Beverage Co. will also kick off its own 8-week fundraising program via $1 and $5 in-store pinups at 100 liquor store locations throughout Connecticut to support CRD’s initiatives including Max’s pending treatment.
“Max is my Godson and nephew, so the groundbreaking efforts led by Cure Rare Disease truly hit home,” stated Matthew Murphy, Founder & CEO of Murphy Beverage Co. Our company is fully dedicated to driving charitable campaigns in partnership with CRD moving forward as our family works diligently to generate more awareness and personalized treatment alternatives for Max and other children like him who are desperate for a cure.”
“When I met with the Herzogs, I deeply resonated with their determination and passion to help their son and end Duchenne. It was an honor to welcome them into the organization as we push forward to redefine the paradigm of ending rare disease,” said Rich Horgan, Founder & President of Cure Rare Disease. “Our mission is to pioneer customized therapeutic developments in record time, enabled by our stellar team of researchers, partners, and donors. Every single dollar counts, and with the generosity and support of our local partners, we can accelerate our efforts—bringing us closer to a cure.”
This article originally appeared here.