Be a light of hope this holiday season. Ignite more progress, restore more freedom, and inspire more hope for families living with neuromuscular disease.

About Us

Our mission is to empower people living with neuromuscular diseases to live longer, more independent lives.

17th Annual Edgar Martinez Golf Classic to be held July 13 at The Golf Club at Newcastle to Raise Lifesaving Funds for Research & Care for People with Muscular Dystrophy, ALS and Over 40 Related Neuromuscular Diseases

Registration is now open for the annual golf event presented by QFC & Liberty Mutual.

Seattle, WA – April 20, 2021 – The Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) today announced registration is open to the public for the 17th Annual Edgar Martinez Golf Classic. The event will be held at The Golf Club at Newcastle on July 13th, and sponsorship fees will fund research, care, and advocacy, to find treatments and cures and provide equal access for the community of families living with disabilities, including muscular dystrophy, ALS, and related neuromuscular diseases.

Amanda Hardman, Jesse Clair, Edgar Martinez, Chris Albi, Harold McGovern at the Annual Edgar Martinez Golf Classic in support of MDA.
Amanda Hardman, Jesse Clair, Edgar Martinez, Chris Albi, Harold McGovern at the Annual Edgar Martinez Golf Classic in support of MDA.

Funds raised from the event directly impact research and care including at the MDA Care Center at University of Washington Medical Center and Seattle Children’s Hospital. There are over 2,500 families living with muscular dystrophy, ALS and related neuromuscular disease benefiting from MDA funded research, care, and advocacy in Washington state. In addition, each year, over 60 children ages 8-17 from the area, attend MDA Summer Camp (virtual through the pandemic) and learn vital life skills, gain confidence, independence, and lifelong friendships, at no cost to families. During virtual MDA Summer Camp, siblings can also attend at no cost.

“I’m so proud of how our community and sponsors have come together for families living with neuromuscular diseases,” said Baseball Hall of Famer, Edgar Martinez. “In the 17 years I’ve been hosting this event, the funds raised have contributed to notable progress and treatments that are transforming lives,” he continued.

“QFC is honored to join Edgar Martinez and the Muscular Dystrophy Association to raise funds for research for lifesaving treatments,” said Chris Albi, President, QFC. “We remain committed to help raise awareness and funds to support families living with neuromuscular diseases.”

“We are so grateful to Edgar Martinez, QFC and Liberty Mutual for their continued support of MDA, during a time we need it the most and have been severely limited in fundraising throughout the pandemic,” said Jacki Klutcharch, National Manager, Fundraising and Community Engagement. “This event is so special as our friends from the community of families, supporters, and partners all come together for a common mission on the golf course,” she continued.

“Golfing is an incredibly fun way to bring communities together, in support of people living with neuromuscular diseases, while raising funds for scientific and clinical breakthroughs to save lives,” said Donald S. Wood, PhD, President and CEO of MDA. “Funds raised from events like these have led to 12 FDA approved treatments for neuromuscular diseases in the past six years alone. We know that more funding will lead to cures,” he continued.

Golfing for MDA continues across the country. For a full list of golf events, click here.

About the Muscular Dystrophy Association

For 70 years, the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) has been committed to transforming the lives of people living with muscular dystrophy, ALS, and related neuromuscular diseases. We do this through innovations in science and innovations in care. As the largest source of funding for neuromuscular disease research outside of the federal government, MDA has committed more than $1 billion since our inception to accelerate the discovery of therapies and cures. Research we have supported is directly linked to life-changing therapies across multiple neuromuscular diseases. MDA's MOVR is the first and only data hub that aggregates clinical, genetic, and patient-reported data for multiple neuromuscular diseases to improve health outcomes and accelerate drug development. MDA supports the largest network of multidisciplinary clinics providing best-in-class care at more than 150 of the nation's top medical institutions. Our Resource Center serves the community with one-on-one specialized support, and we offer educational conferences, events, and materials for families and healthcare providers. MDA Advocacy supports equal access for our community, and each year thousands of children and young adults learn vital life skills and gain independence at summer camp and through recreational programs, at no cost to families. During the COVID-19 pandemic, MDA continues to produce virtual events and programming to support our community when in-person events and activities are not possible. MDA’s COVID-19 guidelines and virtual events are posted at mda.org/COVID19. For more information, visit mda.org.