Students in CMR High School’s HOSA-Future Health Professionals Club have partnered with the Lost Enzyme Project for a series of fundraising events dedicated to pre-clinical studies for enzyme replacement therapy.
The club partners with them in support of Oliver, a Great Falls boy diagnosed with a rare metabolic disorder, Beta-mannosidosis.
CMR High School junior and member of the Future Health Professionals Club Shae Sweeney used an analogy for the disorder as being “like a garbage man who goes around the city collecting trash. But when he's, like, not working, that garbage, like, builds up. And that's what is happening in these kids. And it's like preventing their functions”.
The club has hosted several fundraising events such as raffles, selling spirit beads at sports games, and basket bids, where business donated baskets of goodies for people to bid on. The students have raised $9,300 so far.
On Friday, Apri 19, the club will host ‘Oliver’s Drive-In Movie Night’, selling snacks and accepting donations in hopes of reaching their $10,000 goal. The event is sponsored by First Interstate Bank, and will feature a screening of ‘The Goonies’.
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Future Health Professionals Club member Hailey Herda explains the film choice: “We were talking to Oliver's family about the movies, Oliver expressed his love for eighties movies, and we just wanted to show a family friendly movie and that they decided on The Goonies”. Herda said she was surprised to learn how rare the disease is, and that “It's been really exciting and rewarding to hear everything about Oliver and try to just do everything we can to help him”.
Earlier this month, club members Hailey Herda, Shae Sweeney and AJ Wells showcased their fundraising work with the Lost Enzyme Project at the HOSA - Future Health Professionals State Leadership Conference, taking home the gold medal in the Community Awareness category. The students will now take their project to compete at the national competition.
Oliver's Drive-In Movie Night: Parking opens at 6 pm; movie starts at 7 pm. Concessions will be available. CMR High School parking lot at 228 17th Avenue NW. Donations are welcome as an entry fee. For more information, call Christi Virts at 406-238-7832.
Great Falls teen is battling a rare disease:
