Peninsula High football team to raise awareness for a cause

The Peninsula football team will be doing its part for a worthy cause. During Friday’s home game against Auburn, the Seahawks will be participating in Coach to Cure, an event to raise money for a cure for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, through the Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy organization.

Football players will be wearing patches on their sleeves, items will be sold and a fundraising “miracle minute” will take place during the game.

While the Coach to Cure event primarily takes place with college football programs, Gig Harbor resident Janelle Hester brought it to the attention of Peninsula coach Ross Filkins last season. Filkins was more than willing to help.

For Hester, the fundraiser is personal. Her son, Micah, a seventh-grader at Harbor Ridge Middle School, has DMD. DMD is a genetic disorder characterized by progressive muscle degeneration and weakness. It’s caused by an absence of dystrophin, a protein that helps keep muscle cells intact.

Hester noticed her son started falling when he was younger. He was diagnosed at age 3, and right now, is in a wheelchair full time. Eventually, Micah’s heart will start to accumulate scar tissue, and eventually, will fail. The average life expectancy for people with DMD is usually into the late 20s.

“We still don’t have a cure but there are some amazing scientists that are working on second phase of trial studies for hopefully finding a cure,” Hester said. “We’re just not there yet. We’re continually trying to raise money so we can continue our research.”

Hester said she knows more about DMD than she would’ve ever hoped to know, because of her son.

“He’ll never drive a car or be able to go to dances like normal kids,” Hester said. “We’ll probably never see him get married or have kids.”

Micah Hester will take the field with the Peninsula captains for the coin toss before the game begins. Throughout the game, fans, parents and students will have various opportunities to donate money for the fundraiser. Those without cash on hand can make a donation by texting “Cure” to 90999, and a $5 donation will be added to their monthly cellphone bill. Those interested can also make a donation by visiting www.coachtocuremd.org.

This story was originally published September 16, 2015 at 12:34 PM with the headline "Peninsula High football team to raise awareness for a cause."