Ministry to continue support for Coalition Duchenne – Masidi
KOTA KINABALU: The Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Environment will continue to work together and support the Coalition Duchenne organization to promote Sabah and its cause.
Its minister, Datuk Masidi Manjun, said his ministry would continue to support the courageous efforts of Coalition Duchenne to help raise global awareness and funding for Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
Masidi, who was represented by assistant minister Datuk Ellron Angin, said this at the appreciation dinner for Coalition Duchenne Mount Kinabalu Expedition here, on Sunday.
He urged the expedition be extended more, and experience Mountain Torq, the world’s highest and Asia’s first Via Ferrata, or ‘iron road’, at 3,200 metres to 3,800 metres above sea level.
Masidi also encouraged the participants to visit the surrounding places of interest such as the Kundasang War Memorial during their visit here.
On another note, Masidi expressed his appreciation towards Coalition Duchenne founder Catherine Jayasuria for continuing to use Mount Kinabalu for the Coalition Duchenne Expedition and getting 61 international participants from 13 countries to come to Sabah to join the expedition.
Catherine founded Coalition Duchenne in 2011 to raise global awareness for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, to fund research and to find a cure for Duchenne.
Coalition Duchenne climbed Mount Kinabalu as part of its second annual Mount Kinabalu Expedition on August 24-26.
Meanwhile, Catherine thanked the climbers who came from various countries, including Sabah, West Malaysia, Europe, Philippines, Singapore and the United States.
“The climb was tiring and challenging, but not as tiring and challenging for boys who have Duchenne.
“They spend their lives in wheelchairs, dreaming of doing the things that we do.”
She said the expedition would raise awareness of Duchenne, which would, in turn, attract more funding for treatment and cure for Duchenne.
Catherine said the funds raised from Coalition Duchenne would go towards the research of the disease, adding that the organization had entered a research programme with a biotechnology company in the United States.
Source : Borneo Post
