Calif. girl with CMT named MDA 08 Ambassador

[Guest guest]

California girl named 2008 MDA National Goodwill Ambassador

http://www.mdausa.org/news/0801042008_MDA_natl_goodwill_ambassador.ht

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The Muscular Dystrophy Association's 2008 National Goodwill

Ambassador is Abbey Umali of Redlands, Calif., a lively and

articulate 8-year-old with a form of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease.

Abbey is the first MDA national goodwill ambassador to hail from

California in the program's 55-year history. She and her family will

travel the country throughout the year, representing families

affected by neuromuscular diseases and served by MDA, participating

in special events and meetings of national MDA sponsors and speaking

with the media.

Abbey also will be featured in MDA promotional materials used

nationwide and will appear on the 2008 Jerry Telethon for MDA

on Labor Day weekend.

" Abbey is precocious and charismatic, " MDA National Chairman Jerry

said. " I'm delighted to have such a wonderful young lady and

her family spread the word about MDA's commitment to finding

treatments for neuromuscular diseases. "

Abbey is the only child of and Wendi Umali. Her father is a

dentist and her mother is a physical therapist.

Abbey has congenital hypomyelinating neuropathy, a form of Charcot-

Marie-Tooth disease characterized by lack of coordination and

balance, along with muscle weakness. She walks with the aid of leg

braces.

A third-grader at Montessori School in Redlands, she loves to read,

sing, swim, ride her bike, play the piano, act in plays and spend

time with her friends. She also likes visiting the library,

bookstores and animal parks. When she grows up, Abbey wants to be a

veterinarian.

Television viewers worldwide met Abbey and her family when they were

profiled and interviewed live on the 2006 and 2007 MDA Telethons.

The Umalis already take part in many local events for MDA because

Abbey is serving her second term as MDA's Goodwill Ambassador for

California.

In her new role, she succeeds 14-year-old Luke Christie of Due West,

S.C., who served two terms as National Goodwill Ambassador.

Abbey receives services at Loma University Medical Center,

site of one of MDA's 225 hospital-affiliated clinics nationwide.

[Guest guest]

This is very cool! What a great way to shed more national light on CMT.

CMT 1A