What are you doing July 19th? You could be watching some of Vancouver’s best comedians while helping to raise money to fund research for FSH Muscular Dystrophy. New Westminster’s historic Columbia Theatre will be home to the first #StandUp4FSHD fundraiser. The event will be held July 19th, 2014 starting at 6 pm with a warm welcome from New Westminster’s Mixed Company, a barbershop quartet. The laughs begin at 7 pm featuring Vancouver-based comedian Carter Hortie, famous for satirical social commentary; and California native Dino Archie, who has been a familiar face in the Vancouver comedy scene for the last 11 years.

Net proceeds raised at this inaugural event will go directly to fund research for FSH Muscular Dystrophy. FSHD Canada is the Canadian non-profit dedicated to funding research targeted specifically for FSH Muscular Dystrophy, the most prevalent of the nine muscular dystrophies.

FSH Muscular Dystrophy (or FSHD) is a muscle wasting disease that primary affects the facial, scapular and humeral muscles, but all other parts of the body are affected as well. The complexities of this disease are far-reaching as those who have this genetic condition do not know when or how severely muscle loss will take place. There is currently no treatment for this condition.

However, ground-breaking research is taking place in the US, Australia and parts of Europe. Researchers are optimistic about recent findings for this complex condition. “We have had a remarkable few years of research advances for FSHD,” says Dr. Stephen Tapscott, principal investigator, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Centre in Seattle, Washington. “This progress would not have been possible without community support. We now have a roadmap for developing therapies for FSHD and need to press forward to convert these opportunities into real therapies.”

#StandUp4FSHD will be held July 19th at 7 pm with doors opening at 6 pm. Tickets are available for $20 (plus tax and service charge) online at www.thecolumbia.ca and click “Events at the Columbia”. Follow on Twitter #StandUp4FSHD and like us on Facebook at StandUp4FSHD

CONTEST DETAILS:

To enter to win a pair of tickets tweet:

I want to win tickets for #standup4fshd from @phoelam & @maryinvancity  http://ht.ly/zbr9M RT to enter! 

Contest ends Friday July 18 at noon pacific. One winner will be drawn at random.