DJ Irie of the Miami Heat Headlines as Event Brings Together Miami’s Top Business Leaders,  Influencers and Philanthropists for a Good Cause 

Miami, FL, February 20, 2024 – CureDuchenne and the Finazzo family of Miami will host “Champions in Miami” on Saturday, March 9, 2024 at the Kimpton Surfcomber in Miami Beach, bringing together Miami’s top business leaders, entrepreneurs, influencers, and philanthropists for a night of delicious flavours, cocktails, cigars, and live entertainment. All event proceeds will benefit CureDuchenne, a global leader in research, patient care, and innovation for improving and extending the lives of those living with Duchenne muscular dystrophy.  

Guests will enjoy a night of dining and dancing in “Beach Chic” attire with entertainment from Miami’s own DJ Irie of the Miami Heat and can bid on exclusive, one-of-a-kind items in the auction both online and in person during the event. Auction items will include one-of-a-kind experiences and getaways to Napa  Valley, New York, Las Vegas, and the Hamptons. Individual tickets and tables are available for purchase as well as a Weekend Getaway package that includes a two-night stay at the Kimpton Surfcomber Hotel and an exclusive Vintner-Hosted Table package with wine pairings from renowned Napa Valley wineries,  Diamond Mountain Vineyard, and Adversity Cellars. 

Champions in Miami raises critical funds for CureDuchenne, a leading organization that funds research toward a cure for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a degenerative neuromuscular disease that is 100%  fatal. It is the most common and severe form of muscular dystrophy, mainly found in young boys, affecting  300,000 children worldwide. Most boys diagnosed with Duchenne lose the ability to walk by 12, and many lose their lives in their late 20s. Since 2021, the Miami community has raised more than $2 million to support CureDuchenne.  

“We are so grateful to the Miami community for coming together to raise funds that bring us closer to a cure for Duchenne,” said CureDuchenne founder and CEO Debra Miller. “Although we’ve made tremendous progress in research, there are still thousands of boys and young men that still don’t have the treatments they need. Every dollar makes a difference and with the help of the Miami community, we  hope to change the odds for all families receiving this diagnosis.” 

In 2020, Chris and Susan Finazzo discovered that both of their sons, Chase, now age 9, and Dylan, now age 6, were in the earliest stages of Duchenne muscular dystrophy. They were devastated but knew they must put all of their efforts into finding a cure for their sons and all other individuals facing the disease.  After being connected with CureDuchenne, they dedicated their lives to helping find a cure for their boys  and the nearly 300,000 children and young adults living with the disease around the world. The family has  seen a glimmer of hope as both boys had the opportunity to participate in a clinical trial for a gene therapy treatment that aims to delay the progression of the disease, but their work is far from done.  

“Since our sons received the diagnosis of Duchenne, Susan and I have dedicated our lives to help find a cure. The money that we have already raised at events in Miami has gone directly into research that will eventually lead to a cure,” said Champions in Miami Chair Chris Finazzo. “CureDuchenne is driving innovative research and transformative treatments are on the horizon. With the help of fundraisers like  Champions in Miami, we are that much closer to finding and funding a cure for all those affected by  Duchenne, so no other parent has to witness their child lose the ability to walk and ultimately, their life to  this disease.” 

For Champions in Miami tickets and sponsorship information, please visitcureduchenne.org/event/champions-in-miami.

About CureDuchenne  

Twenty years ago, CureDuchenne was created with one goal: to find and fund a cure for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, one of the most common and severe forms of muscular dystrophy. Today,  CureDuchenne is recognized as a global leader in research, patient care and innovation for improving and extending the lives of those with Duchenne. CureDuchenne’s innovative venture philanthropy model has advanced transformative treatments for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, including 18 projects that  advanced to human clinical trials and multiple projects to overcome the limitations of exon-skipping and gene therapy. In addition, CureDuchenne contributed early funding to the first FDA-approved Duchenne drug, pioneered the first and only Duchenne physical and occupational therapist certification program and created an innovative biobank and data registry, accelerating research toward a cure. For more information on how to help raise awareness and funds needed for research, please visitcureduchenne.org. 

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