MacDonald makes early birthday wish
By Kathy McCarty
Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE — Though it’s not his birthday just yet, Adam MacDonald, of Presque Isle, has already made a wish to raise $2,600 for ParentProjectMD for his 26th birthday on Oct. 20— a wish that won’t come true without the public’s help.
“I have Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, which there is no cure for. Recent research holds promising findings that I hope will eventually result in a cure for me and others living with Duchenne MD,” said MacDonald.
Photo courtesy of Cheryl Markey
ADAM MacDONALD, of Presque Isle, has set a goal of raising $2,600 for ParentProjectMD by his 26th birthday on Oct. 20. MacDonald took part in the Fill the Boot campaign over the summer, joining Bangor firefighters prior to several concerts to raise funds for the Muscular Dystrophy Association.
Last year, with community support, MacDonald surpassed his goal of raising $2,500 for CureDuchenne. This year he’s raised the bar.
“I hope I can raise just as much for this organization (ParentProjectMD) as I did for CureDuchenne last year — almost $10,000,” he said.
The past year has been a difficult one for MacDonald, who underwent surgery to have his appendix removed, then developed pneumonia, which led to complications that nearly ended his life. He knows firsthand the difficulties facing those with serious illnesses.
“I almost lost my fight earlier this year after going into two respiratory arrest episodes after recovering from having my appendix removed. I ended up with pneumonia — that’s a word parents of DMD boys (a disease that primarily affects boys) don’t like to hear, as pneumonia is usually what we end up losing our battle to, due to our lung muscles progressively losing the strength to work,” said MacDonald.
MacDonald and his mother, Cheryl Markey, have devoted much of their lives to raising funds and awareness of the disease. Over the summer, they joined members of the Bangor Fire Department through the Fill the Boot program to raise funds for MDA.
“I purchased tickets to take Adam to a few concerts at the Bangor Waterfront and learned that the Bangor firefighters would be outside the gates prior to each concert doing their Fill the Boot for MDA campaign. I found out how we could take part and soon we joined them in the effort,” said Markey.
Over the 22 years of volunteering for MDA, Markey said she and her son knew that firefighters were “the number one supporter of MDA across the U.S. and Canada.”
“But the opportunity never came about for us to be involved with a Fill the Boot event. We’ve enjoyed meeting the firefighters and volunteering right alongside of them at the concerts. Our trips to Bangor were made that much more wonderful in that we got to enjoy the concerts and raise money for MDA,” said Markey.
She said public support was wonderful.
“It was great when a couple that was approaching the gates said, ‘We watch you all the time on the telethon.’ The husband said, ‘She watches every year to see you on there, Adam.’ Or another young man said, ‘I have to put something in his boot (the boot Adam was holding in his lap), because you are from The County.’ That was prior to the Jeff Dunham show,” noted Markey.
Markey said she and Adam regularly took part in the MDA telethon festivities up until this year, when the program was changed and the Bangor TV station that had aired it was no longer involved.
“We’d been involved with the telethon in Maine and in South Carolina where we were living when we first learned of Adam’s having DMD. We still want to be active in raising funds and awareness. Fill the Boot offered us the opportunity to continue those efforts,” said Markey.
The public is invited to MacDonald’s birthday celebration next week.
“We’ll be holding Adam’s third annual birthday party fundraiser on Thursday, Oct. 20, at Riverside Park, beginning at 6:30 p.m. We’ve set a goal of raising $2,600 for ParentProjectMD to help find a cure for him and others like him,” said Markey.
MacDonald still has a ways to go to reach his goal. To date, he has raised a little over $700. Donations can be sent care of Cheryl Markey, 17 State St., Presque Isle, ME 04769; checks can be made payable to either Adam MacDonald or Cheryl Markey. For more information, e-mail cmarkey1961@yahoo.com.
