Lisa Manaster

🎉🚴‍♀️ June 8th was not only the MDBR this year but also my 60th birthday. I traded in cake and candles for pedals and passion, celebrating it by hopping on my bike and pedaling with all my heart for my girl and all those with CACNA1A-related neurodevelopmental disorders.

The funds that Team CACNA1A raises will go directly to support research on CACNA1A. The Orphan Disease Center at Penn Medicine will match every dollar we raise up to $30,000. So, raising $30,000 translates into a $60,000 grant to fund transformative research. Last year, we raised $73,731, which was awarded to Sam Young, PhD, to fund the development of novel gene therapy strategies to treat CACNA1A disorders. Click here to learn more about his research project.

Mike and Emily rode 10 miles on a tandem bike, and Rachel and I did the 30-mile course. We had a fun day riding alongside some extraordinary people, including the friends and family of individuals with rare diseases, the healthcare providers who care for them, and all the people who love them.

In honor of my birthday, Mike and I have donated $10,000 to Team CACNA1A. We're doing life-changing work, and I'm grateful, humbled, and hopeful for the future!

If you are so inclined, I would be so grateful for your support.

Thank you! xx Lisa