My name is Kalynn Dibble and I was diagnosed with FSH (facioscapulohumeral) Muscular Dystrophy 9 years ago. At the time doctors told me to curb all physical activity and find a desk job, because of the risk of accelerating muscle loss. I am pretty soft spoken, but also have tremendous drive when it comes to something I want to do. So I nodded and left the doctors office, knowing full well I wasn't going to listen to a word he said. I moved to Hawaii to go to school to get my degree in Kinesiology and Exercise Science and became a personal trainer. I continued to be active, working out in the gym, running, hiking and surfing. But I realized that I was really missing the competitive aspect of sports. Growing up I was always involved in athletics, but as my MD progresses the ability between me and my peers became apparent. It was then that I discovered the Challenged Athletes Foundation (http://www.challengedathletes.org/) and realized that there was a place for me in athletics. That place was triathlon. I almost immediately moved back to Washington in order to devote more time, money, and energy into training for triathlon.
About the time that I discovered this great community of challenged athletes I discovered Terry Colella and her family, and their tireless efforts to fund FSH research through their non profit Friends of FSH Research (http://www.fshfriends.org/). I attended their annual gala dinner and auction and met an amazing group of people who also had FSH. It was at that moment I really realized how having FSH affected my life. FSH is somewhat of an "invisible" muscular dystrophy. Meaning if someone were to took at me it wouldn't always be apparent that I have a disability. But I do. This just really demonstrates the need for more awareness of the particular muscular dystrophy. The affects are just as emotionally and physically devastating as more widely known (and funded) dystrophy's.
This year the anual Fishing for a Cure gala dinner and auction are coming up. I really wanted to do something to help support Terry's efforts as they mean so much to me. So I decided to take my two new found found passions and put them together. So I decided to put together a group to ride the Seattle to Portland bike race in order to raise money for FSH reserch. Terry was excited and said that they could promote it at the auction on Feburary 7th. This will help with donations for riders, but with race registration taking place end of January and the first part of Feburary. I am in need or riders, so if you are interested in riding the STP for FSH research, shoot me an e-mail.
