Donations to help bring new MDA clinic to El Paso

Fill the Boot or MDA Lock-Up are events that may ring a bell for some.

You might have helped to collect or donate to the Muscular Dystrophy Association's well-known fundraisers.

Thanks to recently raised funds, a local clinic could open by the end of fall.

"We have such great support from the community. Fill the Boot generated about $66,000 and $5,000 of that was donated from El Paso Electric to kick that campaign off. Then we did just finish with the executive Lock-Up over at Landry's, which will bring in close to $60,000. Of all that money, 77 cents of every dollar does stays local," said Kathleen Born, executive director of MDA.

Every year the El Paso Fire Department teams up with MDA for the Fill the Boot campaign in which firefighters hit the streets and collect donations from drivers.

Restaurants also help the nonprofit by hosting various MDA Lock-Ups. Local leaders are nominated to be locked up in MDA's jail and have to raise bail through donations.

These events help the nonprofit provide counseling and treatment for more than 400 people throughout El Paso, Carlsbad, Roswell and Artisan who have MD.

"There's 43 different neuromuscular diseases, including ALS, and basically what it is is a deterioration of the muscles. Each form affects different parts of the body but ultimately muscle deterioration is the result. Although there has been a lot of new research and treatment there is no cure so it is very hard for families. They have to go through a process and natural grieving," said Born.

Five-year-old Phoenix Payan and his familiy came to MDA two years ago when he was diagnosed with Duchene muscular dystrophy, a severe form of MD.

"I kept after the doctors. I knew that we needed to keep checking him and finally we went to a neurologist. Right away he was diagnosed and that moment was probably the worst moment of my life. But we had to move forward and just be strong for him. We want him to know that he is normal, We don't want him to feel otherwise. MDA has helped us to do that and has just been a great support system," said his mother, Jackie Payan.

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Donations to help bring new MDA clinic to El Paso