5K for AJ To Be Determined

Aidan is a sophomore and an honors student here at Fleetwood Area High School. Attendees of Fleetwood have probably seen him powering down the hallway, accompanied by his long term companion, a Golden Retriever named Song. He smiles and laughs, never letting anyone get him down as he struggles with a powerful illness, Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.

Aidan was diagnosed with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, commonly referred to as DMD, in spring of 2004. DMD is a detrimental disease that attacks the muscular structure of body, starting in the legs of the afflicted and eventually progressing to the vital parts of the body, such as the heart and respiratory system.  

There is currently no cure for DMD. Thousands of scientists globally work around the clock, looking for a cure for DMD.

Aidan and his loving parents, Maria McDonnell and Tom Sandor, help to work towards this goal by holding fundraisers, in the form of 5K runs, the purpose of which is not only to raise money towards a cure and to Aidan’s medical expenses, but just as importantly, to raise awareness of this genetic disorder.

The annual 5K fundraiser “5k for A.J” takes place around the beginning or middle of May. Last year’s event took place on the 16 May 2015. The run raises money through sponsorships from local businesses and the money paid from the runners to participate. The money raised from these fundraisers helps to support Aidan and his family as they deal with this illness as well.  

Also, as an alternative to running, which a lot of people prefer not to do, you can choose to just donate towards the cause.  Whether you want to run or not, come out to this year’s “5K for A.J.”