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Contact:
FAST
Melissa
Elkins
(858)
775-5358
Local Family Raises
Awareness For Angelman Syndrome
Pleasant Hill,
Iowa, August 22, 2012 – The
first Jaime Berkley Memorial Golf tournament, Sept. 23, at Toad Valley Golf
Course in Pleasant Hill, will benefit the Foundation for Angelman Syndrome
Therapeutics (FAST) Open
registration begins at 7:30 a.m. and there will be a shotgun start at 9 a.m.
Five
years ago, at the age of seven, Jamie Berkley lost her battle with Angelman
Syndrome. Like most individuals with Angelman Syndrome, Jamie brought joy and
happiness to everyone she met and left a legacy of love and laughter. Parents,
Jason and Cindy Berkley, have dedicated their lives to bringing awareness to
this disorder and honoring their child’s memory with this event.
“We
chose FAST because their goal is to bring practical treatments into current
medical practices as soon as possible,” said the Berkleys. “FAST is a non-profit organization, which is
100 percent staffed by volunteers who either have children with Angelman
Syndrome or have close relations to the community. All proceeds they raise go
directly into research and finding ways to better the lives of families who are
afflicted by Angelman Syndrome. They are already making huge advances in
research and have recently funded the first-ever human clinical trial for a
potential treatment for Angelman Syndrome. The money at our fundraiser is fed
directly back into research and awareness. This is why we chose FAST.”
“We
are extremely honored to be chosen as the Berkley fundraising beneficiary,”
said Paula Evans, Founder and Chairperson. “Our hearts are always heavy over a
loss of a child. We strive to bring more
awareness and research to finding a cure for Angelman Syndrome so families will
never feel the painful loss of a child to this disorder. FAST is dedicated to
its community and works endlessly to cure Angelman Syndrome and related
disorders through the funding of an aggressive research agenda, education, and
advocacy.”
For
more information about sponsorships or registration, please contact Jason
Berkley at 1-515-202-4091 or jcberkley94@msn.com.
About Angelman Syndrome
Angelman
Syndrome is a severe neurological disorder characterized by profound
developmental delays, epilepsy, and problems with motor coordination (ataxia)
and balance. Individuals with AS do not develop functional speech. The seizure
disorder in individuals with Angelman Syndrome can be difficult to treat.
Feeding disorders in infancy are common, and some persist throughout childhood.
Sleeping difficulties are commonly noted in individuals with Angelman Syndrome.
AS affects all races and both genders equally and occurs in approximately one
in 10,000 to 15,000 births. For more
information about Angelman Syndrome, please visit http://www.CureAngelman.org.
About
FAST
FAST
is a Section 501(c)(3) non-profit research organization narrowly focused on
funding research that holds the greatest promise of treating Angelman Syndrome.
FAST is committed to
assisting individuals living with Angelman Syndrome realize their full potential
and quality of life. To learn
more about FAST or to make a donation FAST’s research program, visit www.CureAngelman.org.
