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July 14, 2011 - Minneapolis, MN - St. Paul 10-year-old Louie McGee will kick off the month-long “Make a Splash” awareness and fundraising campaign to fight blindness on Saturday, August 6, from 10-11 a.m., at the Nordstrom fountain in Mall of America®. He will lead participating school and community groups in a “coin dump” and share his story of living with Stargardt disease, a juvenile form of macular degeneration. Mall of America will donate all coins tossed into the fountain in the month of August to the Foundation Fighting Blindness’ 5thAnnual Twin Cities VisionWalk, benefitting blindness research.
“It's super cool because participating in this campaign raises money that will help my doctor – and doctors everywhere – find ways to help me continue to see and one day cure this stuff,” says McGee. “I’m hoping we get a huge turnout! Last year there was $900 in the fountain, but with kids all over the place helping out I think we can do much better than that. I challenge everyone to join me, gather up your friends, and help me fight these eye diseases!”
Diagnosed at age 5 with Stargardt disease, the Highland Catholic School student is determined to make a difference as Youth Chair for the 5K Twin Cities VisionWalk, which will take place on Sunday, Sept. 25, at the Lake Harriett Bandshell in Minneapolis. This inherited retinal condition robs McGee’s central vision, causing him to look off to the side and preventing him from enjoying activities like baseball or tennis. Despite the challenges, McGee doesn’t allow his vision loss to slow him down. He took second and third places in the state swimming tournament in the butterfly and breast strokes, and plays soccer, making up for what he can’t see with his speed. He loves experimenting in his basement science lab, hunting for rocks and fossils, creating large pop art with duct tape, and participating in the Destination Imagination group, which combines acting, improv and engineering. McGee is even working on a book about a boy with visual impairment to share his experiences about what he sees and feels.
Twin City VisionWalk proceeds benefit Foundation Fighting Blindness efforts to advance research toward preventions, treatments and cures for retinal degenerative diseases that affect more than 10 million Americans. For example, the Foundation funded many pivotal lab studies that are making possible the first-ever gene therapy clinical trial for Stargardt disease.
Individuals, school groups, scout troops, sports teams and others interested in supporting McGee’s “Make a Splash” campaign can attend the event at Mall of America on August 6 to donate, give online to the VisionWalk “Team Louie,” or mail checks directly to the Foundation Fighting Blindness at 1580 S. Milwaukee Ave., Suite 606, Libertyville, IL 60048 (please note “Make a Splash” or “Team Louie” on all checks).
About Foundation Fighting Blindness
The Foundation Fighting Blindness is a national nonprofit driving blindness research that will lead to preventions, treatments and cures for retinitis pigmentosa, macular degeneration, Usher syndrome and the entire spectrum of retinal degenerative diseases that affect 10 million Americans. In its 40-year history, the Foundation has raised more than $425 million as the leading non-governmental funder of retinal research. With a network of 50 chapters, the Foundation also provides free disease information and low vision resources to affected individuals and their families. Most recently, a breakthrough Foundation-funded study using gene therapy restored significant vision in children and young adults who were previously blind, paving the way for using this method to treat a wide variety of retinal degenerative diseases, and proving a cure is in sight.
About Mall of America®
Mall of America is the nation’s largest retail and entertainment complex. At 4.2 million square feet, MOA is home to more than 520 world-class shops; Nickelodeon Universe®, the nation’s largest indoor family amusement park; SEA LIFE Minnesota Aquarium, a 1.2 million gallon walk-through aquarium; Moose Mountain Adventure Golf; Theatres at Mall of America® - a 14-screen movie theater with VIP theatre and more. The Mall opened in August of 1992 and is located in Bloomington, Minn., just minutes from downtown Minneapolis and St. Paul. Follow Mall of America on Facebook and Twitter or visit our blog.
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