NHL all-star Ryan Getzlaf and CureDuchenne raise more than $500,000 at 12th Annual Getzlaf Golf Shootout
Funds Support Global Nonprofit’s Mission of Finding a Cure for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy
NEWPORT BEACH, Calif., (September 19, 2023) – CureDuchenne, a leading global nonprofit focused on finding and funding a cure for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, partnered with NHL All-Star and retired Anaheim Ducks captain Ryan Getzlaf for the 12th annual Getzlaf Golf Shootout at Monarch Beach Golf Links. The event raised more than $500,000 to help find and fund a cure for Duchenne. Hosted by Ryan Getzlaf and his wife Paige, the annual Getzlaf Golf Shootout brought together professional athletes, celebrities and community leaders for an unforgettable two-day experience including an MVP Dinner reception followed by an action-packed day of activities and golf in Dana Point, California.
NHL All-Star and 2007 Stanley Cup Champion Ryan Getzlaf played a remarkable 17-year career for the Anaheim Ducks, holding the record as the franchise’s all-time leading scorer and serving as team captain. Over the past 12 years, the Getzlaf family has raised more than $5.8 million at the Getzlaf Golf Shootout to fund early-stage research and bring new therapies for Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Getzlaf now serves as player development coordinator for the Ducks.
“We are truly humbled by the generosity we receive year after year and the impact we’re able to make on the Duchenne community,” said Ryan Getzlaf. “We are closer than ever before to a cure for this devastating disease and the support of the community means more now than ever before. Together, we will find a cure.”
Duchenne muscular dystrophy, the most common and severe form of muscular dystrophy, is a fatal genetic disease affecting roughly 1 in 5,000 male births. Individuals with Duchenne are typically diagnosed as toddlers, lose the ability to walk in their early teens and often succumb to the disease in their mid-20s. Since CureDuchenne was founded in 2003, the organization has raised over $50 million for research and to develop impactful programs that help families living with Duchenne, and has funded 17 research projects that have advanced to human clinical trials.
“We are so thankful for the Getzlafs relentless commitment to helping us find a cure for Duchenne muscular dystrophy,” said Debra Miller, founder and CEO of CureDuchenne. “Research is moving faster than ever before and we’ve made significant progress, but we must do more to ensure transformative treatments reach every individual with Duchenne. Every dollar raised and invested into cutting edge science is vital in helping us get closer to a cure.”
The event kicked off on Friday, September 8, with select sponsors and Anaheim Ducks players attending an MVP dinner with a live auction at Monarch Beach Golf Links. Debra and Paul Miller, the founders of CureDuchenne, shared CureDuchenne’s impact, highlighting the first CureDuchenne Clinic for underserved individuals with Duchenne which opened this year and is already delivering groundbreaking gene therapy treatments to patients. Hawken Miller, their 26-year-old son who has Duchenne, shared his journey living with Duchenne and the urgent need to advance research toward a cure for the thousands of individuals with this devastating disease. Attendees raised their paddles in support of CureDuchenne, bidding on live auction items including a trip to Tuscany and a Porsche experience.
The golf tournament took place the following day, starting with a breakfast for families living with Duchenne. The tournament featured the Ducks Power Players and Wild Wing, games and giveaways throughout the course, including a dunk tank, hole-in-one opportunities to win a Porsche and a helicopter ball drop with a chance to win a weekend Porsche rental. Food and beverages included a crepe station, custom beer created by Brewery X, lunch provided by Dang Brothers and In-N-Out Burger and on-course smoked barbeque by Bad to the Bone BBQ.
This year’s sponsors included Porsche, F & F Capital Group, Valus Security, WHGC P.L.C., Duke Spirits, Engels Janzen, Wayne Sanderson, Ayres Hotels, Ayres Construction Company, Independent Capital Management, Inc., TaylorMade, Hydration Room, Citrus Motors, The Sports Corporation, Western Overseas Corporation, PMG, Brewery X, 33 & West, Insperity, TSG Wealth Management, Simon Family Estate, CaliFino Tequila, OC Local Taproom, Long Drink, Violent Gentleman, Entertainment Concepts, Krank Golf, Teakoe, Polar Bear Coolers, and Growoya.
For more information about CureDuchenne, please visitcureduchenne.org.
About CureDuchenne
Twenty years ago, CureDuchenne was created with one goal: to find and fund a cure for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, the leading genetic killer of young boys. Today, CureDuchenne is recognized as a global leader in research, patient care, and innovation for improving and extending the lives of those with Duchenne. CureDuchenne’s innovative venture philanthropy model has advanced transformative treatments for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, including 17 projects that advanced to human clinical trials and multiple projects to overcome the limitations of exon-skipping and gene therapy. In addition, CureDuchenne contributed early funding to the first FDA-approved Duchenne drug, pioneered the first and only Duchenne physical and occupational therapist certification program and created an innovative biobank and data registry, accelerating research toward a cure. For more information on how to help raise awareness and funds needed for research, please visitcureduchenne.org.
