Online Auctions are Fun. But Raising Money to Support Dystonia Research is a Serious Business.

By Janet Hieshetter, Executive Director, Dystonia Medical Research Foundation

As you probably seen by our postings on social media, the annual Bid it Up for Dystonia online auction is live, and bidding has begun.

We are very fortunate to have a wide variety of truly exceptional items that have been generously donated by our supporters for you to bid on. There are wine tasting trips, and private dinners at notable restaurants; there’s memorabilia and one-of-a-kind crafts that honor dystonia patients.

You are invited to participate in this opportunity to begin your holiday shopping early with great items to select from while supporting the important work of the DMRF.

Our ability to provide funding for medical research in search of a cure for dystonia is directly related to efforts like this online auction. As a reminder, dystonia is the third most prevalent motion disorder behind Parkinson’s and general motion disorder.

The DMRF awarded more than $1 million in dystonia specific research grants this year funding both global leaders and young investigators to do innovative and important science. We have recently released a new Request for Applications for support of new research that will advance science’s knowledge of dystonia and eventually lead to a cure. These researchers come from some of the world’s most renowned universities and medical centers, and their findings lead to breakthroughs and make a difference.

The DMRF organizes, sponsors and conducts a wide variety of activities during the year. We have just concluded our season of our Dystonia Zoo Days with events in Portland, Oregon to Boston, Massachusetts, with eight other cities in-between. These locally focused events let family, friends and caregivers come together as a community to enjoy a day of fun and learning and leave with the knowledge that there are many people engaged and invested in researching the causes of dystonia and are actively seeking answers. In other words, after attending a Dystonia Zoo Day, people know that they aren’t alone in their fight.

As for our online auction, it went live on October 22 and concludes on Thursday, October 24 and we hope that you will join in the fun of this event and bid on some must-have items that you love or a vacation or trip that you would like to take. Our donors have done an exceptional service in offering a wide variety of truly spectacular items that are worthy of your donation. Click here to view the auction.

Thank you in advance for your support. We are grateful to you for your commitment to helping the DMRF fund research into the causes and treatments of dystonia and to supporting those who are affected by dystonia.

Thank you again, and happy bidding!