15th Annual Champions to CureDuchenne Raises over $385,000 to Fund Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy Research

 “Disco For Duchenne” Gala Featured Dancing, Drinks, a Culinary Experience and More  
to Help Advance Research for the Rare Disease 

AUSTIN, Texas., April 16, 2024 – CureDuchenne, a leading global nonprofit focused on finding and funding a cure for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, and the Revell family of Austin hosted the 15^th annual fundraiser gala, Champions to CureDuchenne: Disco for Duchenne, on April 6, 2024. The event raised $385,000 to benefit CureDuchenne as it accelerates scientific research and pioneers educational programs to care for families affected by Duchenne, a progressive, fatal disease affecting 300,000 worldwide.  

Austin’s own “Saturday Night Fever” brought together hundreds of philanthropists, businesspeople, and local community members at the University of Texas Golf Club to disco for a purpose. The evening was a fusion of entertainment and inspiration, featuring emotionally moving speeches alongside a vibrant disco dance party. Amidst the festivities, guests enjoyed signature cocktails, a silent auction, and dinner before hitting the dance floor to classic tunes. Emmy Award-winning weather caster Jim Spencer emceed the event, adding to the lively atmosphere with extraordinary auctions and a tantalizing culinary experience. 

Ramiro and Maribel Munoz, parents of a young man with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, gave a moving speech, sharing their story and highlighting the community’s commitment to finding a cure for Duchenne muscular dystrophy.  

“We are eternally grateful to Tim and Laura Revell and the entire Austin community for their continued dedication to our mission of finding a cure for this devastating disease,” said CureDuchenne founder and CEO Debra Miller. “We are on the cusp of transformative treatments, and with generosity of the Austin community, we can make a tremendous impact in accelerating treatments for all those affected by Duchenne.” 

The Revells learned their two boys, Timothy and Andrew, were diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, one of the most common and severe forms of muscular dystrophy, at just two and five years old. Duchenne is a 100% fatal disease that affects 1 in 5,000 boys. Individuals are typically diagnosed as toddlers, lose the ability to walk in their early-teens and often succumb to the disease in their mid-20s. At the time of their boys’ diagnosis, treatments and information on Duchenne were limited. The Revells began to research the rare disease and connected with CureDuchenne. Tim and Laura have created several annual fundraising events to raise awareness and funds for CureDuchenne, including marathons, galas and the annual Ladies Luncheon. To date, the family has helped raise more than $6.6 million through their collective fundraising efforts. 
 
“Our family will never stop fighting to make a difference for the future of our two sons and every other family on the same journey,” said Tim Revell. “Despite this devastating diagnosis, we see hope as treatments move forward. Through events like Champions to CureDuchenne, we can help fund critical research that will lead to a cure for our boys and future generations.” 

For more information and ways to support CureDuchenne, please visit cureduchenne.org.  

About CureDuchenne  
Over twenty years ago, CureDuchenne was created with one goal: to find and fund a cure for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, one of the most common and severe forms of muscular dystrophy. Today, CureDuchenne is recognized as a global leader in research, patient care and innovation for improving and extending the lives of those with Duchenne. CureDuchenne’s innovative venture philanthropy model has advanced transformative treatments for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, including 18 projects that advanced to human clinical trials and multiple projects to overcome the limitations of exon-skipping and gene therapy. In addition, CureDuchenne contributed early funding to the first FDA-approved Duchenne drug, pioneered the first and only Duchenne physical and occupational therapist certification program and created an innovative biobank and data registry, accelerating research toward a cure. For more information on how to help raise awareness and funds needed for research, please visit cureduchenne.org. 

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