Our primary objective is that a cure will be found. The International Association of Fire Fighters has been an MDA national sponsor since 1954. The IAFF has been a national sponsor of the Muscular Dystrophy Association since 1954. In addition to their fund-raising efforts, IAFF members also dedicate many hours of personal time to assisting at MDA summer camps across the country. That's an extraordinary testament to the dedication and abilities of this remarkable organization.
Some fire fighters have very personal reasons for wanting to see neuromuscular diseases vanquished.
Take the case of Dennis K. Haas, a retired fire fighter from Burnet, Texas. Haas was a member of IAFF Local 1044 in Abilene for 20 years before retiring. The disease often proves fatal in only a few years after diagnosis, although cases can vary. I loved being part of such an honorable profession and loved seeing the IAFF president give you a check for millions of dollars each year, knowing I was part of it. But now I have an entirely different perspective.