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Figure skating celebrity Nancy Kerrigan is getting the word out on the Foundation's mission to overcome blinding retinal degenerative diseases. This fall, the Foundation will be prominently promoted as the official charity of Nancy Kerrigan's World of Skating television series, which will run from November 20, 2007 through May 10, 2008, and on other Nancy Kerrigan national television broadcasts. As part of the arrangement, the Foundation will also be publicized on CountDown to Sports, a multi-sport television series that previews upcoming collegiate and professional sporting events. During these programs, the Foundation will be highlighted through public service announcements featuring Nancy Kerrigan, a vignette telling the story of two young boys affected by a retinal disease, and opening and closing program credits. FFB will also be posted on the shows' Web sites. Earlier this year, Kerrigan was a featured speaker at the VISIONS Conference in Kansas City (July 20-22) and spoke at the Foundation's Shades of Spring dinner in Boston. She is also making appearances at VISIONWALK, the Foundation's national signature event. Kerrigan is inspired to support the Foundation, because her mother, Brenda, is blind. "I'm thrilled about being a spokesperson for the Foundation Fighting Blindness, because of their strong commitment to finding cures for blindness," said Kerrigan. "My mother is blind, and it has been difficult for her to fully appreciate and enjoy my success, because of her limited vision. The Foundation is bringing real hope to people like my mom and their families." Kerrigan began skating at the age of six and won her first competition at nine. Judges were amazed by her ability to perform difficult routines; she was doing moves that only men were doing at the time. Though her family never pressured her to skate competitively, Kerrigan was passionate about becoming a champion, and her father, Dan. worked many jobs to pay for expensive skating lessons. Other relatives pitched in by buying skates and driving her to lessons. Kerrigan won a bronze medal in the 1992 Winter Olympics and a silver medal in the 1994 Winter Olympics. She retired from active competition in 1994, and has appeared in a variety of ice skating shows since then. Nancy, now 37-years old, remains close to her family. She and her husband, Jerry, and her sons, Matthew and Brian, live only minutes away from her brothers and parents in the Boston area. "Nancy Kerrigan is a remarkable athlete, and a well-known and beloved figure who empathizes with the plight of more than 9 million Americans and their families," said William Schmidt, Chief Executive Officer of the Foundation Fighting Blindness. "Her association with FFB is leading to greater awareness of the diseases that cause blindness and support for FFB's mission of driving research that will lead to cures." |
