BROOKLYN MEDIA GROUP SEPTEMBER 29 - OCTOBER 5, 2017 41
Pietro's Fight races to end DMD at annual 5k
BY MEAGHAN MCGOLDRICK
MMCGOLDRICK@BROOKLYNREPORTER.COM
It was another successful Saturday
for the Scarso family as Pietro’s
Fight – a local non-profit dedicated
to finding a cure for
Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy
(DMD) – hosted its fifth
annual “Pietro’s Fight to the
Finish Line” 5k on September
16.
The disease is a recessive
X-lined form of muscular
dystrophy that affects one
in every 3,500 to 5,000 boys,
including the Scarsos' son, Pietro,
an eight-year-old boy who
was diagnosed at just three.
Pietro’s Fight is a nonprofit
co-founded by Dyker Heights
residents Dayna and Manni Scarso –
Pietro’s parents – in hopes of helping
find a cure for Duchenne Muscular
Dystrophy (DMD).
“It was exceptional,” Pietro’s mother,
Dayna told this paper. “It was an
amazing turnout. We raised a lot of
money.”
This year,
she sa id,
Pietro – who,
before last year,
was limited to the sidelines or just a
few strides – was determined to walk
the entire race.
“He didn’t give up,” Scarso said. “Every
year he just does a little more and
it takes my breath away. He’s such a determined
young boy. Instead of waiting
at the finish line giving everybody
high fives, he was walking alongside
them. It was really incredible.”
Since the official approval of Exondys
51 (also known as Eteplirsen,
the first drug ever approved to treat
patients with DMD) this past June, Pietro
is finally able to receive treatment
from the comfort of his own home.
“It’s not in clinical trial anymore
so we get to have the nurse at home
and he doesn’t have to miss school
anymore,” Scarso said. “Everything
is so much easier. "
As for his condition, Scarso said,
Pietro is “doing great.”
“He’s walking longer, which is the
best thing for him,” she said, adding
that now, he even gets to enjoy playing
in the schoolyard.
“We’re taking it day by day,” Scarso
stressed. “We’re keeping our heads up
and are always looking for the next
thing.”
According to Scarso, Pietro’s Fight is
currently raising money for another
new DMD therapy, still in its pre-human
trial stages, that is showing promise.
As for Pietro’s current treatment,
Scarso said, “It’s supposed to slow the
progress of the disease down and
that’s what it’s doing, but we still need
a cure at the end of the day.”
Since its inception in 2012, Pietro’s
Fight has raised more than $1 million
towards finding a cure.
“We will not stop until we END DMD,”
Scarso aid. “We will not stop until Pietro
has a chance at a normal life.”
For a full list of sponsors or for more
information on Pietro’s Fight, visit
www.pietrosfight.org.
Reaching-Out hosts Ninth Walk Against Hunger
BY JAIME DEJESUS
JDEJESUS@BROOKLYNREPORTER.COM
Putting a stop to hunger one step
at a time.
Reaching-Out Community
Services, a pantry founded to help
those in need within the local community,
held its Ninth Annual Walk
and Support Against Hunger on
Saturday, September 23.
Attendees walked about a mile,
from New Utrecht Avenue between
77th and 78th Street down to Bay
Ridge Avenue and 18th Avenue and
back to the Reaching-Out facility.
Founder of the organization Tom
Neve was pleased that the tradition
continues. “It went really well and
very smoothly,” he said. “It was a very
nice turnout as it always seems to be.
It’s another way for us to continue to
try to end the silence of hunger in the
communities that we serve so people
don’t forget our neighbors around us
in need and help those who struggle
to put food on the table.”
The main objective of the walk is
to raise awareness not only for the
needy, but the entire community. "It’s
to keep the program going and also
to keep the awareness that people
go without food and there’s an organization
that can help,” Neve said.
“We’re not going to be a hospital with
the lights off so to speak. We need to
let people know that we are here so
it’s a community awareness process
as well.”
After the walk, attendees were
treated to the second annual
Brooklyn’s Got Talent competition,
where contestants entertained attendees
and competed for prize
money.
“We added that feature to give
people a little more enjoyment and
it went great,” he said. “One of the
things we do is allow people to share
different talents and also contribute
to the cause of hunger by their financial
support. That helps as well.
They like to give back and share their
talent. That’s the reason they do that."
The added event also helps spread
the word. “Education is important
and even if some people don’t need
it, somebody else does,” he said. “I’m
just trying to reach the hearts that
can help. Charity begins at home and
you have companies and businesses
that should be considering to help
first where we live. That's my goal.”
BROOKLYN MEDIA GROUP/Photos by Arthur de Gaeta
Pietro’s Fight continues its race to find a
cure for DMD.
BROOKLYN MEDIA GROUP/Photos by Arthur de Gaeta
Reaching Out Community Services held its annual Walk
Against Hunger on Saturday, September 23.
Valeria, Amayrani and
Desteny Caballero perform.