Celebrities and Rare Disease Community Turn Out To Support Global Genes Project's 1st Annual "Tribute to Champions of …

Rare Disease Industry Leaders and Advocates Honored; Recording Artists Chris Mann, Katrina Parker and Elliott Yamin Gave Touching Performances

DANA POINT, Calif., Oct.2, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --On September 27, 2012, rare disease patients, advocates, patient organizations, government agencies, pharmaceutical companies, medical researchers, celebrities, Olympic champions and private sector representatives attended the Global Genes | R.A.R.E. Project (www.globalgenes.org) 1st Annual "RARE Tribute to Champions of Hope" benefit at the Balboa Bay Club & Resort in Newport Beach, CA. The evening was a star-studded affair to raise funds and awareness for rare and genetic diseases that impact 1 in 10 Americans and 350 million people globally.

More than 400 guests attended the benefit and a number of awards were presented to celebrate the pioneering achievements of individuals and organizations championing the rare and genetic disease cause.

"It was such an honor to celebrate the accomplishments of these remarkable rare disease award recipients," Nicole Boice, president of the Global Genes Project. "We are also incredibly grateful to the artists and stars who volunteered their time and talent to make our first event a tremendous success. Their support means the world to the millions of rare disease patients who know they are not alone in this fight."

2012 Global Genes | RARE honorees included:

DawnMarie Kotsonis emceed the event. Singer-songwriter Katrina Parker, a fan favorite and star of the second season of the NBC hit television show "The Voice," performed the jazz standard "Someone to Watch Over Me" and the Disney classic "Baby Mine."

"Grey's Anatomy" star Jason George, who plays Dr. Ben Warren on the hit show, gave a heartfelt speech about how since he started playing a doctor on TV, his life has been enriched by pediatric cancer patients and their families who have connected with him through his social media platforms and given him the opportunity to make a difference.

Actor Nestor Serrano (Act of Valor, The Negotiator, The Insider, Secretariat) publicly saluted his wife Debbie for everything she does to care for their daughter Amelia who suffers from cerebral palsy. Nestor then presented the Rare Champion of Hope Advocacy Award to Pat Furlong, the Founding President and CEO of Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy, an organization dedicated to finding a cure for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.

Amicus Therapeutics CEO John Crowley showed guests the trailer for the film "Extraordinary Measures" starring Brendan Fraser and Harrison Ford, which is based on his family's remarkable story fighting Pompe disease.

Football legend Paul McDonald had the honor of introducing fellow USC alum, Bill Barkeley, a deaf and blind adventurer, who reminded us that anything is truly possible during his moving acceptance speech for the RARE Patient Advocate of the Year Award.

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Celebrities and Rare Disease Community Turn Out To Support Global Genes Project's 1st Annual "Tribute to Champions of ...