Boston Red Sox Pitching Ace Curt Schilling Launches Special
Auction
Fundraiser to Benefit ALS Association and TGen
Sept. 15, 2004
Boston Red Sox pitching ace Curt Schilling today launched a
special auction to raise funds in support of Amyotrophic Lateral
Sclerosis (ALS) and melanoma research and patient care.
Schilling was the first of his Red Sox teammates to autograph a
2005 Harley Davidson Fat Boy motorcycle, which is available for
auction beginning today on www.redsox.com and www.mlb.com. The
auction will last 12 days, with all proceeds being divided equally
between The ALS Association and Phoenix, Arizona's Translational
Genomics Research Institute (TGen), of whose board Schilling is a
member. The auction is live today beginning at 3:30 and will
conclude at Midnight EST on September 26, 2004.
Red Sox pitching ace Curt Schilling inks the inaugural signature
to
the 2005 Harley Davidson Fat Boy being auctioned to support
ALS
and melanoma research.Photo credit: Julie Cordeiro/Boston
Red Sox
"With the month our team has experienced and the excitement surrounding this season, it's a great time to launch this auction," said Schilling. "ALS & Melanoma are two causes close to my heart. I hope this Harley Davidson auction will generate funds that eventually eliminate these diseases."
Over the past 13 years, Schilling has donated and helped raise over 5 million dollars for the ALS Association, which is also known as Lou Gehrig's disease. The disease is a motor neuron disease with progressive muscular atrophy. Once thought rare, it is now considered fairly common, striking both men and women, generally between the ages of 40 and 75.
Red Sox outfielder Manny Ramirez adds his signature to the
2005
Harley Davidson Fat Boy.Photo credit: Julie Cordeiro/Boston Red
Sox
"We are so grateful to Curt Schilling and his Red Sox teammates for their generosity," said Rick Arrowood, CEO, The ALS Association Massachusetts Chapter. "The real benefits of efforts like these are that our ALS patients and their caregivers receive free services and financial assistance from The ALS Association. It truly offers hope for finding a cure and hope to ALS patients for improving their quality of life."
The second cause benefiting from the auction will be Melanoma, by far the most dangerous and aggressive type of skin cancer. Schilling's wife, Shonda Schilling, is a melanoma survivor and founded The SHADE Foundation (www.shadefoundation.org), a skin cancer awareness foundation.
"We are truly thankful to Curt Schilling, the Red Sox, and Major League Baseball for supporting this cause," said Dr. Jeffrey Trent, TGen President and Scientific Director. "It will take advocates like Curt Schilling to overcome ALS and cancer, as focused public attention brings increased awareness and resources to this and other disorders and diseases."
About TGen
The Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) is a
not-for-profit organization whose primary mission is to make and
translate genomic discoveries into advances in human health.
Translational genomics research is a relatively new field employing
innovative advances arising from the Human Genome Project to apply
to the development of diagnostics, prognostics and therapies for
cancer, neurological disorders, diabetes and other complex
diseases.
Media Contact:
Katie Leighton-610-513-6930
Galen Perry-602-343-8423
