Campbellsville, Lindsey Wilson Football Staffs to Coach to Cure MD this Saturday
Saturday, Sept. 25 marks the beginning of a new rivalry in Campbellsville University football history. It’s the first-ever meeting on the gridiron between the Tigers and next-door rival Lindsey Wilson College. However, amidst the fierce spirit of the rivalry, the two coaching staffs will join together to support the Coach to Cure MD program, which will be held nationwide during Saturday’s games.
Campbellsville head coach Perry Thomas and Lindsey Wilson head coach Chris Oliver will lead each of their staffs Saturday while wearing a Coach to Cure MD patch on their sleeve. They join more than 5,000 members of the American Football Coaches Association across the nation to help bring awareness to and raise funds to battle Duschenne Muscular Dystrophy.
The annual effort, now in its third year, has raised more than a half-million dollars to battle the disease.
“We are happy to be participating in the Coaches to Cure MD program to bring awareness to Muscular Dystrophy. We hope that fans will go to the www.CoachtoCureMD.org website and support this worthy cause,” Thomas said.
Football fans are asked to donate to research projects supported by Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy, the largest nonprofit organization in the U.S. focused entirely on Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. Donations can be given by visiting CoachtoCureMD.org or by texting the word CURE to 90999 (a $5 donation will automatically be added to your next phone bill).
“Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy is thrilled with the progress of Coach to Cure MD over the last two years,” said Pat Furlong, founding president and CEO of PPMD. “The AFCA and its coaches are helping us put up a vigorous fight against Duchenne, and college football fans have joined the battle in great numbers. We are taking a comprehensive approach in the fight against Duchenne – funding research, raising awareness, promoting advocacy, connecting the community and broadening treatment options.”
Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy is the most common fatal genetic disorder diagnosed during childhood and primarily affects boys across all races and cultures. Boys and young men with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy develop progressive muscle weakness that eventually causes loss of mobility, wheelchair dependency and a decline in respiratory and cardiac function. Currently, there is no cure for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy and limited therapeutic options exist.
The financial service firm TIAA-CREF serves as the national sponsor for the event.
Other teams across the Mid-South Conference joining in the cause Saturday are: Faulkner University, Georgetown College, Shorter University, Union University, the University of the Cumberlands.
In addition to coaches wearing the awareness patch on their sleeves during Saturday’s game at Finley Stadium, public address announcements will be read throughout the game and public service announcements will air during radio and television broadcasts. Coach to Cure MD PSAs will also air during this week’s “Perry Thomas Show” state-wide in Kentucky on the Wazoo Sports Network.
Saturday’s game will also be televised state-wide by Wazoo Sports. Kickoff is 1:30 p.m. EST.
Live radio coverage of the game can be heard in Central Kentucky on K-Country 105.7 FM or online at KCountry1057.com
