Tim Revell Is Running Austin To Raise Money To Find A Cure for Deadly Disease

Tim Revell Is Running Austin To Raise Money To Find A Cure for Deadly Disease
by Wish, 2/9/2009

You probably haven’t heard of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD). It’s a relatively rare genetic disease that affects one in every 3500 boys worldwide. In Central Texas, there are seven or eight known cases of this terrible disease that causes muscle weakness in boys. DMD is always fatal.

While there isn’t any cure for the disease yet, Tim Revell is doing his best to raise as much money as possible for research so that someday there might be a cure for this disease which has afflicted his 5-year-old son Timothy.

For the fourth year in a row, Revell is running the Austin Marathon to raise money to fight DMD. Revell’s foundation—ww.firstgiving.com/race4timothy—is part of the 26 miles for 26 charities that raises money for worthy causes during the marathon.

In his three prior years of running Austin to raise money and awareness for Duchenne, Revell has netted $70,000 for DMD research from contributions. This year, Revell hopes to move it up a notch and run a 3:25 marathon and raise $20,000. He also plans to run down Congress Avenue to finish holding his son--as he always does.

"Timothy has been at the finish for me for every time I’ve run Austin," says the 35-year-old Revell, a sales executive for Standard Register who lives in Cedar Park. "I'm doing this for him."

Although Timothy can walk and functions normally in most ways, there are some physical activities he’s unable to do because of the effects of the disease. But as the disease progresses (as it always does), he will probably be wheelchair-bound by the time he’s 10. There are drugs—namely, steroids-- that will prolong his ability to walk, but there are side effects. Regardless, his life expectancy is limited to his early 20s.

This year, for the first time, Cure Duchenne will be sponsoring the 24-mile aid station and it will be staffed by friends and familes of boys with Duchenne—some who are coming to the race from as far away as California to lend their support.

There will also be a special group of Duchenne boys giving out water at 24 miles. "We will have boys who will never run," says Revell, "giving out water to marathoners so they can finish this race."

If you’d like to contribute or sponsor Revell, go to the foundation website www.firstgiving.com/run4timo.

If you like more information on this worthy cause, contact Revell (timothy.revell@standradregister.com or call him 877/789-2491. To learn more about Duchenne or its foundation, go to CureDuchenne.org.