PITTSBURGH - The Muscular Dystrophy Association's seventh annual Pittsburgh Muscle Team event exceeded all expectations, raising $230,000.
The event was held March 24 to help provide much-needed medical and healthcare services to local families, and to speed worldwide research seeking treatments and cures for progressive muscle diseases affecting more than a million Americans.
Steelers standout James Harrison was an honorary coach and The James Harrison Family Foundation was the presenting sponsor. The Pittsburgh event, held at Heinz Field, drew more than 500 guests, including a number of western Pennsylvania-area business and civic leaders.
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Jonathan Sweeney of Altoona and 10 other goodwill ambassadors attended the Pittsburgh Muscle Team Gala to benefit the Muscular Dystrophy Association. He is shown with K’Waun Williams (left) and Andrew Taglianetti, both University of Pittsburgh football players.
Standouts in the roster of MDA goodwill ambassadors serving as "buddies" to the Muscle Team members included Jonathan Sweeney, 4, of Altoona.
MDA is the world's largest nonprofit provider of ALS services and funder of ALS research.
The association's health care services, research, advocacy and education programs provide help and hope to families affected by muscular dystrophy, ALS and related diseases. Nationwide, MDA maintains a network of some 200 hospital-affiliated clinics and orchestrates hundreds of support groups to help families living with progressive muscle diseases.
In greater Pittsburgh, people living with any of the more than 40 diseases covered by MDA's program can receive excellent medical care at the MDA Clinics at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh and at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
Hundreds of Pennsylvania children with muscular dystrophy also enjoy an amazing week of fun at MDA summer camp in Fombell.
For more information, visit www.mda.org.
