The Espanola Lions found out that a little girl in their town was diagnosed with Pompe Disease. Until they found out about this child, many had never heard of this disease. Pompe disease is a genetic condition in which a complex sugar called glycogen builds up in the lysosomes of your body’s cells. The disease occurs when you lack a specific digestive enzyme called acid alpha-glucosidase (GAA). The condition causes severe muscle weakness and wasting. Without early detection and treatment, the disease can be fatal. The club decided to do a fund raiser to help with the research being done at Duke Health Rare Disease Centre at Duke University in the US. This facility is a leading researcher for Pompe Disease and has make many breakthroughs in early detection and treatment to improve the lives of those with this disease.
The Espanola Lions held a fundraising BBQ to raise awareness and money for this research. Due to the generosity of the people of Espanola, they raised $5000.00 to donate for further research. Once again…..small town HUGE HEART.