Anna Schwulst/The Falcon Conrad Reynoldson, a junior, has been involved in fundraising for muscular dystrophy research for several years. He is currently working on a fundraising event to be held next quarter.

Conrad Reynoldson, a junior at SPU, raised over $100,000 for muscular dystrophy research in December 2001.

"I wanted to do something to make a difference," Reynoldson said.

With the help of his family, Reynoldson managed to put together a successful fundraiser called "Night of Hope," a silent auction that took place at Andiamo restaurant in Bellevue.

Not only were over 50 of Reynoldson's family and friends in attendance, but there were also a couple of special guests.

Former Seattle Mariners star Edgar Martinez hosted the event, along with other Seattle Mariners players. Martinez favors the cause in support of his nephew who also has muscular dystrophy.

"It was very exciting to meet them," Reynoldson, a Mariners fan, said.

All of the auction's proceeds went to the Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy (PPMD), a group of parents who are committed to raising money for research on Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD).

There are more than 20 specific genetic disorders considered "muscular dystrophy," but Duchenne is the most common, occurring in one in every 3,000 boys (source: http://parentprojectmd.org).

Reynoldson himself has DMD, which is characterized by progressive muscle weakness and the eventual loss of muscle tissue due to a malfunction of the gene that produces the protein dystrophin. Without the protein, muscle cells cannot stay intact and the person becomes weaker.

There is no known cure for DMD, only treatment such as physical therapy and the aid of orthopedic appliances such as wheelchairs, braces, surgery or medications. Reynoldson uses a wheelchair for aid.

Research and clinical trials continue to make progress that will hopefully lead to a cure.

"Muscular dystrophy has often been viewed as a hopeless cause, but there's beginning to be new hope for effective treatments," professor of English Tom Trzyna said. "It's an exciting time to be producing results."

Tryzna, one of Reynoldson's instructors, met the student during in the USEM 1000 he was teaching.

"He's amazingly bright and hardworking and he masters everything that he does," Tryzna said.

There's been little time to spare in between schoolwork and fundraising, but Reynoldson additionally managed to hold a congressional internship for the U.S. senator from Kansas, Sam Brownback, in Washington D.C. last summer.

The American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) funds a number of college interns every year, which is how Reynoldson received the job. His experience as a history major with a minor in political science helped to prepare Reynoldson for his busy and exciting summer working with the senator.

The internship work included dealing with constituents on the phone and filtering calls coming into the office. The immigration debate was heightened last summer so the office was very busy, Reynoldson said.

He was also tasked with giving tours of the capitol. "I had to memorize where everything was. It was kind of complicated, he said.

One of the most exciting moments of the summer came when Reynoldson helped write a letter to President Bush encouraging support in Israel. Hands-on work like that was one of the best parts of his time at the U.S. Capitol, he said.

It not only gave him a unique career training opportunity, but also provided him with some fresh ideas for increasing muscular dystrophy awareness.

Reynoldson hopes to do a fundraiser here on campus sometime during winter quarter.

"It's still in the very beginning stages," he said. Students should keep their eyes and ears open in the coming months for more information on the project.