The USCA TM , will coordinate the event with Guiness World Records. The race is, above all, a charity event to help those with Rett syndrome, a severe brain disorder that randomly strikes one in 10,000, primarily female, within the first two years of life. Males with the disorder usually don't survive pregnancy. In the Fall of 1999, the genetic mutation of MECP2 that causes a majority of Rett syndrome cases was discovered, giving sufferers and their families hope that treatments and cure could now be found.
Research is now more important than ever.
Girls with Rett syndrome usually develop normally during the first year or two of life then begin to regress or stagnate, losing previously acquired skills like walking and talking. Most girls are also plagued by seizures, motor-control problems, breathing irregularities, digestive disorders and neuromuscular difficulties. They can live to adulthood but usually do not regain the ability to speak or use their hands. Many girls and women with Rett syndrome are misdiagnosed with autism or cerebral palsy. All proceeds from the event are tax deductible and will be divided equally between the International Rett Syndrome Association's Permanent Research Fund and the Rett Syndrome Research Foundation.