Coach To Cure MD Celebrates Sixth Season With Coaches Wearing Sideline Patch For September 28 Games; Program Had Full Participation At FBS Level Last Season

WACO, Texas, Sept. 18, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- For the sixth year in a row, college football coaches nationwide will join together in support of the Coach To Cure MD program, which will be held during games on Saturday, September 28, 2013. The rapidly growing annual effort has raised more than a million dollars to battle Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

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On September 28th, American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) members will wear a Coach To Cure MD logo patch on the sidelines and college football fans will be asked to donate to research projects supported by Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy (PPMD), the largest nonprofit organization in the U.S. focused entirely on Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

Football fans can donate to Duchenne muscular dystrophy research by either going online to www.CoachtoCureMD.org or by texting the word CURE to 90999 (a $5 donation will automatically be added to your next phone bill).

Last year, more than 10,000 college coaches at a record 580 different institutions participated in Coach To Cure MD events. Both those figures are higher than in any of the program's first five years (2008-12). Last season marked the first time all 124 Football Bowl Subdivision schools participated, and the five-year fundraising total is just over $1 million.

Duchenne muscular dystrophy is the most common fatal genetic disorder diagnosed during childhood and primarily affects boys across all races and cultures. Boys and young men with Duchenne muscular dystrophy develop progressive muscle weakness that eventually causes loss of mobility, wheelchair dependency and a decline in respiratory and cardiac function. Currently, there is no cure for Duchenne muscular dystrophy and limited therapeutic options exist.

"The AFCA membership has enthusiastically embraced Coach To Cure MD," said Grant Teaff, executive director of the AFCA and legendary former coach at Baylor University. "We are proud of the commitment shown at all levels of competition to help raise funding for such an important cause."

"The AFCA is proud to support such a worthy cause as Coach To Cure MD for the sixth year," said Texas head coach Mack Brown, who is president of the AFCA. "My wife Sally and I have long been active in the fight against Duchenne muscular dystrophy, and we are heartened by the effort of coaches nationwide to continue to raise awareness of this deadly disease."

In addition to the coaches' efforts, families affected with Duchenne muscular dystrophy will also gather for fund-raising tailgate parties on campuses around the country to encourage more fans to get involved.

"As a rare disease organization, you often feel alone in your fight to help those affected. The Duchenne community continues to be blessed by having the support and partnership of the AFCA with our sixth annual Coach To Cure MD," said Pat Furlong, founding president and CEO of PPMD. "The coaches that make up the AFCA are a special group of people with big, generous hearts. We are thrilled to have them as our teammates in the fight to end Duchenne."

About the AFCA
The American Football Coaches Association was founded in 1922 and is considered the primary professional association for football coaches at all levels of competition. The 10,000-member organization includes more than 90 percent of head coaches at the 700-plus schools that sponsor football at the college level. Members include coaches from Europe, Canada, Australia, Japan and Mexico.

About PPMD
Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy (PPMD) is a national not-for-profit organization founded in 1994 by parents of children with Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophy. The organization's mission is to end Duchenne. We accelerate research, raise our voices in Washington, demand optimal care for all young men and educate the global community. PPMD is headquartered in Middletown, Ohio with offices in Fort Lee, New Jersey. For more information, visit www.parentprojectmd.org.

SOURCE Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy