MDA CHOOSES SISTER-BROTHER TEAM
AS NATIONAL AMBASSADORS

TUCSON, ARIZ., February 9, 1998 -- A sister and brother from Pine City, Minn., have been named 1998 National Goodwill Ambassadors for the Muscular Dystrophy Association.

Aubrey Olson, 11, and her brother, Nicholas, 9, will represent the families served by MDA by making public appearances across the country. The Olson family will participate in meetings of national and regional MDA sponsors, will be featured in MDA promotional materials and will appear on the 1998 Jerry Lewis MDA Labor Day Telethon.

Aubrey and Nicholas are the children of Bruce and Cindy Olson of Pine City, about 50 miles north of St. Paul. Both youngsters are affected by Friedreich's ataxia, one of the 40 neuromuscular diseases in MDA's program. Aubrey is in fifth grade at Pine City Elementary School, where her brother is in third grade.

"Nick and Aubrey are ideal communicators of the importance of MDA's services to families and its scientific search to end neuromuscular diseases," said MDA National Chairman Jerry Lewis. "They're bright and charming kids. They won my heart as soon as I met them, and I'm sure other Americans will have the same response."

The Olson family was featured in a profile and live interview on the 1997 MDA Telethon. Bruce Olson is a project engineer at United Defense, a naval defense firm, and his wife, Cindy, is a free-lance court reporter.

All family members are active MDA volunteers, including older daughter Brittney, 13, who doesn't have Friedreich's ataxia.

Mrs. Olson describes Aubrey and Nicholas as "typical kids." Aubrey enjoys computers, writing, art, American Girl dolls and her four pet cats. She served as MDA's Goodwill Ambassador for Minnesota in 1996.

Nicholas likes making things in his workshop, fishing, Cub Scouts, gardening and "making life difficult for his sisters."

Both children participate in a therapeutic horseback riding program, 4-H and church, and enjoy playing piano and swimming.

Friedreich's ataxia is a disease of the peripheral nerves that causes impairment of limb coordination, muscle weakness, loss of sensation, and heart weakness. For the Olson children, poor balance and fatigue are other consequences.

Nicholas uses a walker or manual wheelchair to get around, and wears back and leg braces. Aubrey is ambulatory.

In 1996, MDA-funded scientists discovered two types of mutations on a chromosome 9 gene that can lead to Friedreich's ataxia. They're building on that finding to develop potential treatments.

MDA last had siblings as goodwill ambassadors in 1963 and 1964 when Rob and Kerri Whitaker, both affected by spinal muscular atrophy, served.

MDA is a voluntary health agency working to defeat 40 neuromuscular diseases through programs of worldwide research, comprehensive services, and far-reaching professional and public health education. Recognized by the American Medical Association with a Lifetime Achievement Award "for significant and lasting contributions to the health and welfare of humanity," MDA maintains 230 hospital-affiliated clinics that offer families the best in care for progressive neuromuscular diseases. The Association's programs are funded almost entirely by individual private contributors. More information about MDA is available at www.mda.org on the Internet or by calling (800) 572-1717.

Editor's Note: Read the Olsons' bio or their profile from Quest Magazine.