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A Cure for Bryan
Local Family Raises Over $3000 for Deadly Disease Research

(Mt. Victory, OH, September 20, 2006) - On Saturday, September 16, 2006, around 600 people ranging in age from newborns to some in their nineties stopped by Mt. Victory Park raising over $3,000 for a cure for Bryan Arnold.

Huckleberry Blue performs at a benefit concert held on Saturday, September 16, 2006, in Mt. Victory, Ohio. They helped raise over $3000 to help find a cure for the life-threatening disease, Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (CAH), affecting 11-month-old Bryan Arnold of Mt. Victory.

When Bryan Arnold of Mt. Victory was born on October 11, 2005, he was an apparently perfectly healthy little boy. A standard newborn screening test - a heel prick - showed shortly after Bryan was born that he was anything but healthy and in need of urgent medical attention. He was diagnosed with Classical Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (CAH), a rare, life-threatening condition affecting the adrenal gland that can result in severe imbalances in salt and hormone levels leading to adrenal crisis and death.

There is no cure for CAH. With a genetic frequency of one in 12,000 to 15,000 births, approximately 10 babies affected by Classical CAH are born each year in Ohio. Research for a cure holds the greatest hope for Bryan and other families in Ohio and around the world affected by CAH. However, as an "orphaned" disease, little CAH research is being done and very little is being funded by the federal government. Therefore, it is up to the CAH Community to raise moneys to fund research for treatment and a cure for this potentially devastating disease.

In this vein, Saturday's event - "Bryan's Benefit Country Concert in the Park" - was held specifically to increase awareness of and raise funds to help find a cure for CAH.

Bryan Arnold, 11 months, hamming it up with his grandmother's friends, Carol and David Reece at a benefit concert held on Saturday, September 16, 2006, to raise funds to help find a cure for the life-threatening disease affecting Bryan, Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (CAH). Bryan's grandmother, Laura Williams, organized the event.

"It was a wonderful family day in the park!" said Laura Williams, event organizer and Bryan's grandmother. There were performances by Pickin' 'n' Ginnin' and Up "4" Grabs and good old country blue grass music with Huckleberry Blue. There were four soccer games going on, a Texas Hold 'Em Tournament in which 80 people participated, a walk-a-thon put on by local school children, a bake sale, raffles and a silent auction. "The biggest hit of the day, however, was the hotdog eating contest!" exclaimed Williams.

(l-r) Bryan Arnold's grandfather, Russ Williams, David Reece, Uncle Terry Williams, Austin Buroker, Grandmother Laura Williams and Mother Alicia Meddles chow down for a cure in a hot dog eating contest that was part of a benefit concert held on Saturday, September 16, 2006, to raise funds to help find a cure for the life-threatening disease affecting Bryan, Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (CAH).

Sponsors include Up "4" Grabs, Pickin' 'n' Grinnin', Huckleberry Blue, Pepsi, C&G Distributors, Nickles Bakery, 7Up, Prairie Farms, area churches, Ridgemont Schools, and numerous businesses from Mt Victory and Kenton.

Funds raised by this event will go toward research for treatment or a cure for CAH through the CARES Foundation, an organization committed to improving the lives of families and individuals affected by Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (CAH) through proactively advancing research for a cure, educating the public and health care professionals, advocating for universal comprehensive newborn screening, and providing support services and resources vital to the CAH community worldwide.

Event Information Contact:
Laura Williams
Mount Victory, OH
Phone: 937-354-2762
Email: mtvictorydt@earthlink.net

CAH Information Contact:
Kelly Leight
Kelly@caresfoundation.org
2414 Morris Ave., Suite 110
Union, NJ 07083
Phone: (908) 364-0272
Toll-free: (866) 227-3737
Fax: (908) 686-2019
URL: www.caresfoundation.org

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