Please Read, Fundraising Event For My Son!

[Tony Ingram]

Hey everybody, my wife and I are putting on a 5k/10k walk-run event in February to raise money for The Foundation For Retinal Research here in our hometown of Bakersfield, Ca. My son who is 6 yrs. old was born with a rare, genetic eye disease called Lebers Congenital Amaurosis (LCA). We are looking to get sponsors for the event. We have had great success so far locally but like all fundraising events, the goal is to raise as much as possible. I would like to reach out to all of you and see if anybody is interested in helping to sponsor or may know of a friend or business that may want to help. Our website will be up and running within a week and we are partnered up with the Bakersfield Track Club for the event. All donations are tax deductible and all proceeds will go to the foundation in my son's name. We have a sponsor letter done which includes info about my son, LCA and all the sponsorship info. If anybody is interested shoot me a message and I can get some sponsorship packages sent your way. Once the website is up and running I'll post it on here for you to check out. Below is a few excerps and info. about my son and his disease, thanks for your time, Tony.

Our son Anthony was diagnosed with Leber’s Congenital Amaurosis (LCA) at 3 ½ months of age which left him blind. Like most parents would be, we were devastated when we received the diagnosis. However, with strong support from family and friends, we redirected the initial feelings of devastation towards the positive. We were determined to tackle the disease “head on” and provide Anthony with all the tools he would need to succeed. Since the diagnosis we have raised him the same way as we have our two older children, Kiley age 8 and Katie age 7. From the very beginning, Anthony has been a very persistent boy who hasn’t let anything stand in his way. From a young age he became as comfortable on the playground or in the swimming pool as any sighted child. Anthony is learning Braille and is aided with a cane for mobility in public places. Anthony is 6 years old and attends kindergarten at Del Rio Elementary School as it has been our goal to “main stream” him in public school. Most people that meet Anthony in our home can’t believe he is blind because he is so active. He can often be found outside hanging from the monkey bars on his swing set or jumping on the trampoline. For Anthony, everything is a learning experience. Since helping his dad rebuild their classic Mack trucks, he has learned over thirty hand tools just by feel. During his summer vacation, Anthony learned how to ride his bike without training wheels and also took surfing lessons. This year Anthony has taken his excitement and energy to the soccer field, playing on an organized team has given him the chance to interact with others. Anthony is truly an inspiration and there is no doubt that he will succeed in anything he does.

What is LCA?

Leber’s Congenital Amaurosis (LCA) is a very rare, genetic hereditary disorder that causes severe vision loss and blindness in infants and children. Of all the retinal degenerations, LCA has the earliest age of onset and can be the most severe. LCA is an autosomal recessive disease, which means both parents are carriers of the disease. There are approximately 3,000 people in the U.S. with LCA. There are approximately 17 known genes that have been identified to cause LCA. There is no known cure for LCA. However, medical science has made great strides in recent years utilizing gene therapy. Clinical trials have been successful in restoring some vision in some clinical trial patients. This is a very critical and exciting time with research, in regards to LCA. Sooner rather than later, there may be a cure. With events like ours, helping to provide funding for trials and research, a cure may come sooner than we think! For more information about LCA go to The Foundation For Retinal Research www.tfrr.org .