Donna DeFant loves motorcycles. For decades, she hung out with Harley owners and spent her free time riding. In 2003, she started noticing weird bumps on her hands and a rash around her eyes. Her dermatologist burned the bumps, thinking they were warts, which made them worse. It took three years before Donna was diagnosed with amyopathic dermatomyositis (ADM).
Her treatment was not going very well because of allergies and other complications. At a motorcycle charity event benefiting juvenile myositis, she found out about The Myositis Association (TMA) and its local support group, led by super-volunteer Marianne Moyer. “It was life changing to meet people who could relate to what I was going through,” Donna said.
Will you help people like Donna find hope and know they are not alone?
Donna found high-quality information about myositis and treatment best-practices, as well as connections to top-notch physicians. She also made good friends. “This group is the greatest community you can imagine. We regularly got together outside of meetings to have lunch and have fun.”
Fabio, the Italian actor and fashion model, had lost a good friend to myositis, and Donna and her group invited him to participate in a motorcycle charity event for TMA. Fabio, Donna, and her support group had a wonderful time raising awareness about myositis. “TMA makes everyone feel like your next-door neighbor, even the best physicians in the country,” Donna said. “I love this community!”
Please make a gift today to help TMA raise awareness and support people like Donna.
Your generosity makes all the difference this Myositis Awareness Month!
TMA hopes to raise $70,000 for Myositis Awareness Month – please help us reach our goal!