Breaking Barth Syndrome 2015

Chapel Hill, NC, July 08, 2015 --(PR.com)-- Local martial artists from age 4 to 73, will break 1000 pine boards on Saturday, July 25, 10 – 11:30 a.m. at Neill’s Family Taekwondo in Chapel Hill. This event is to honor friends who have lost a child to Barth Syndrome and who raise another son who is also afflicted. Barth Syndrome is an ultra-rare disease which affects fewer than 200 individuals worldwide. Students at Neill’s Family Taekwondo wanted to find a way to help these friends, help raise funds for a cure for Barth Syndrome, and take on a difficult challenge for martial artists, thus the Breaking Barth Syndrome event was created last year and now expands into 2015 as their second annual event.

Master Erik Neill will provide the venue and training for his students to take on this physical and mental challenge and encourages other local leaders in martial arts to bring their students along as well. Each participant pays a fee (or gets sponsors to help them do so) of which approximately 60% will go to the Barth Syndrome Foundation and the rest to the purchase of boards. Any martial artist, whether affiliated with Neill’s Family Taekwondo or not, is encouraged to participate, thereby taking on an amazing goal while helping the Barth Syndrome Foundation eliminate this disease.

The highlighted family (and dear friends) are the Michener family who live in New Hampshire. Kate and Sandt Michener lost their first son, Rhys, to Barth Syndrome when he died very unexpectedly of dilated cardiomyopathy on 10 February 2011 at the age of 6 months. Their second son, Bryn, was born on 15 December 2011 and was diagnosed with having the rare Barth Syndrome after tissue samples from Rhys were analyzed only a few months after Bryn’s arrival.

The event at Neill’s Taekwondo and Fitness, located at 1706 East Franklin Street Chapel Hill, NC 27514, is open to all with a suggested minimum donation to the Barth Syndrome Foundation of $5. Donations can be made at any time through the end of July 25th at: https://www.razoo.com/story/Breaking-Barth-Syndrome-2015.

This video explains a bit more about the event and puts the spotlight on a 12-year-old black belt who is raising funds for the event: http://youtu.be/tT_7_IzEQz8 . Check on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/events/680823108702357/ also to learn more about the event. For more information about the Barth Syndrome Foundation, visit www.barthsyndrome.org.