PPMD Day 4: That's a Wrap

PPMD Day 4: That's a Wrap

Part 4 of Winheld's World coverage of Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy’s (PPMD) 2007 Annual Conference, July 12-15, in Philadelphia.

I couldn't wait to get back to the hotel for brunch this morning. Maybe it was because I wanted one last chance to trade war stories with my new friends. Maybe it's that Pat Furlong, PPMD founding president is a superb motivator (as has been noted by at least one other person). Or maybe I was just really hungry. Whatever the reason, I managed to drag myself out of bed at 7:30 a.m. -- practically unheard of for me! My father, who accompanied me today, said that now that I have demonstrated that I can get up so early, I have no excuse for usually getting up so late. So I might never live this one down.

But that's okay because today -- and the last three days, for that matter -- were well worth the early wake-up call. All I've ever wanted to do in my life is to make a difference and that's what PPMD and each and every one of the 480-some people from 14 countries who attended this year's conference are all about: making a difference. It's exciting to be a part of something like that.

Whether we are parents, patients, doctors, researchers, nurses, researchers, etc., we're not about to stand idly by and wait for something to happen. As my father said to me afterward, everyone involved in PPMD seem to have adopted the 1960s philosophy of "power to the people."

With such resolve, it's only a matter of time until the goal is achieved...