About Us
The Hotter than Hell Marathon was founded in 2001 by six runners training for a marathon one early morning in July at Audubon Park. At mile 20, one of the runners, a wise guy commented, "Why not just complete the marathon now?". Since then, this event has been commemorated on the Sunday nearest July 4th. A few years later, the annual event became a fundraiser for RaceMD, a Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy Non-Profit, following the birth of one of the founding members' grandson who has DMD.
Duchenne affects 1 in 3,500 boys, approximately 20,000 in the US. RaceMD was founded with a mission of delivering intermediate therapies (medicine) to boys to reduce muscle cell loss and prolong their lives until more permanent solutions are found. Affected boys are born with a genetic defect in the dystrophin gene, which results in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. Without functioning dystrophin, muscles progressively fail. Boys with Duchenne are in a wheelchair by age 12 and most live only into their 20's.
Today, RaceMD is a co-sponsor of a current on-going trial on the clinical efficacy of Adipose Derived Autologous Expanded Mesenchymal Stem Cells for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (ADMSC). The significance of this trial to DMD families cannot be overstated. ADMSC therapy can be delivered locally, and repeatedly, at a low cost. Early treatment will extend lives. There is NO time to wait. We intend to make it publicly available as soon as possible.
For more information, http://www.racemd.com
