Join the Murdoch Institute Step-A-Thon
We met nine year old Erin Taprell, whose little brother Dion died from a rare genetic disease, and who is doing the Step-a-thon for a second year to honour him.
Dion died just after his third birthday in 2009. Erin was 21 months older than Dion, and nearly five. Dion couldn’t walk, but he did everything to follow Erin around, any way he could.
Erin's parents owe their youngest children Levi and Bree to the research done at Murdoch Institute.
Dion suffered from a rare genetic disorder called Leigh's Disease, a form of Mitochondria disease. His family consulted with the Murdoch Institute's world expert on the subject Prof David Thorburn.
David diagnosed Dion’s condition from a muscle biopsy. He then used the genetic profile from the diagnosis to enable parents Tracy and Warren to have two more healthy children.
Their fertilised embryos were screened before being implanted.
Every dollar Erin raises will support the work of the Murdoch Children's Research Institute, who are working towards finding preventions and treatments for hundreds of common and rare childhood illnesses, so that kids everywhere can have a healthy future.
Donate on Erin's Everyday Hero page here
From 1 – 7 September 2014 kids will count their steps with a pedometer and raise money for child health research by raising money through an Everyday Hero page.
The first 25,000 kids to register will receive a free slap on pedometer to make counting their steps fun and easy.
Head to www.stepathon.com.au and sign up.
