20 students with DMD are Sarepta scholarship winners
Route 79 program enters ninth year with awards of up to $5,000
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Twenty college students with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) will receive awards of up to $5,000 through Sarepta Therapeutics‘ Route 79 program.
“As we mark the ninth year of this program, we continue to be inspired by the commitment these students show to their education and their futures,” Diane Berry, PhD, Sarepta’s executive vice president and chief global policy and advocacy officer, said in a company press release.
Charles Cooley, who is studying biology at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, is one of this year’s recipients.
“In college, I feel fortunate to study something I genuinely care about while being surrounded by like-minded classmates and professors who share similar interests,” Cooley said. “I finally found my people and a place where I can learn, grow, and pursue my interests.”
The program will also award scholarships to five siblings of DMD patients, in recognition of the fact that the disease affects families as well as people with the disease.
Awardees bring ‘powerful perspectives’
A committee made up of DMD community members chose the recipients based on each applicant’s academic record and community involvement, as well as a personal essay and a letter of recommendation. The applications are de-identified, with no indication of whether applicants have received any of the DMD treatments sold by Sarepta.
“This year’s class, which includes both new and repeat recipients, reflects a sustained focus on higher education among individuals living with Duchenne and demonstrates that students are not only pursuing their academic goals, but succeeding along the way,” Berry said. “Through their essays, they shared powerful perspectives on growth, advocacy and creating change in their own lives and in the world around them.”
Sarepta announced the scholarship winners in early September in recognition of Muscular Dystrophy Awareness Month, with Sept. 7 marking World Duchenne Awareness Day.
“As we reflect on this year’s World Duchenne Awareness Day theme, ‘Access Saves Lives,’ we are reminded of the strength, insight and resilience these students bring to their families, communities and academic journeys,” Berry said. “We are honored to support them and look forward to the impact they will continue to make.”
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