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- Posted Friday March 29, 2013
From wheelchair to walking: Medical miracle girl raises funds for TGen
12-year-old Shelby Valint supports TGen Center for Rare Childhood Disorders (C4RCD)
PHOENIX, Ariz. - March 29, 2013 - Shelby
Valint, the 12-year-old Phoenix girl whose sequenced genome led her
from a wheelchair to walking, is raising funds for the non-profit
Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen).
The "Shelby Valint Inspiration Fundraiser" will generate needed
research dollars for TGen's Center for Rare Childhood Disorders
(C4RCD). It was research through this innovative unit at TGen that
helped enable Shelby to go from a wheelchair to walking.
"TGen has done so much for me," Shelby said. "Now, I want to do
something for TGen so they can continue to help other children like
me with rare medical disorders."
The fundraiser is being organized by Shelby's mother, Renee
Valint, and by one of Shelby's 7th Grade teachers, Tracy
Livingston, whose husband - the Honorable Rep. David Livingston -
is a freshman member of the Arizona House of Representatives,
representing the north Valley's District 22.
"In October, TGen launched their Center for Rare Childhood
Disorders, which is helping parents in Arizona find answers and
treatment for their children," said Rep. Livingston, who has
invited Gov. Jan Brewer and members of the Arizona Legislature to
the fundraiser at the home of Shelby's parents, Renee and Scott
Valint - 1-5 p.m. April 6 at 1517 E. Red Range Way, about a mile
south of Carefree Highway, just east of 14th Street.
"In my recent tour of TGen's facilities, I saw first-hand the
cutting-edge research, tools and technology being used to help
children like Shelby," Rep. Livingston said. "My wife, Tracy … has
personally seen Shelby's amazing transformation."
By sequencing, or spelling out, the nearly 3 billion letters in
Shelby's DNA, TGen researchers found a gene that prevented Shelby
from producing sufficient amounts of a brain chemical called
dopamine, which is needed for balance and muscle control.
Using a combination of drugs usually given to older persons for
treatment of Parkinson's disease, Shelby was able within several
weeks to abandon her wheelchair. She was able to more easily walk,
talk, eat and even breathe, generally restoring her to a normal
functioning child.
"Before TGen's discovery, we had been through an enormous amount
of despair with all the doctor visits and tests, and I had watched
helplessly as Shelby was poked and prodded with a heart-wrenching
number of needles and IVs," Renee Valint said. "Shelby's newfound
ability to walk and talk, and generally lead a normal life, is a
testament to the unwavering dedication to helping patients
exhibited by the scientists at TGen."
To see Shelby's amazing transformation from a girl who was unable
to walk, talk and eat to a girl who dances across the room, please
watch this recent story from CBS 5 News http://is.gd/LnNS2e.
Shelby's fundraiser is being held in conjunction with Gailynn
Garberding, an Independent Representative of Silpada Designs, a
company that handcrafts the finest quality .925 sterling silver
jewelry. If unable to attend, you can still purchase Silpada
jewelry online by going to www.mysilpada.com/gailynn.garberding.
Please select hostess "Shelby Valint Inspiration Fund" during
checkout.
In addition, Shelby is designing her own jewelry that will be sold
at the fundraiser to benefit TGen. To directly donate to Shelby's
fund click here.
# # #
About TGen
The Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) is a Phoenix,
Arizona-based non-profit organization dedicated to conducting
groundbreaking research with life changing results. Research at
TGen is focused on helping patients with diseases such as cancer,
neurological disorders and diabetes. TGen is on the cutting edge of
translational research where investigators are able to unravel the
genetic components of common and complex diseases. Working with
collaborators in the scientific and medical communities, TGen
believes it can make a substantial contribution to the efficiency
and effectiveness of the translational process. For more
information, visit: www.tgen.org.
Press Contact:
Steve Yozwiak
TGen Senior Science Writer
602-343-8704
[email protected]