CORONA DEL MAR TODAY

CdM Couple To Lead Rainier Climb to Fight Muscular Dystrophy

As a couple, Debra and Paul Miller couldn’t approach a mountain-climbing mission more differently. Paul can’t wait — he loves a physical challenge. And Debra? “I’m the worst,” she admits. “I said, ‘Oh! Really? It’s that big…’ ”

Mount Rainier in Washington state is big — 14,411 feet, to be exact. But the Millers and 10 of their friends (including parents of other boys, scientists, musicians and a film maker) are highly motivated because the climb is a fundraiser for CureDuchenne, a Corona del Mar-based non-profit organization with the sole mission of eradicating the most common form of muscular dystrophy.

The Millers’ son, now 12, was diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy in 2002, and they founded CureDuchenne the next year. The organization has gained national attention, and they’ve raised $5 million and projects they have funded have made it to three active clinical trials. Currently, however, the disease has no cure; boys often are in wheelchairs by age 12 and historically do not live past their teens.

The Mount Rainier climbers each pledged to raise $1 per foot, or $14,411 per climber. “Right now I’m over $11,000,” Debra said. “But the other team members might need help.” (Visit the event page to read about the team members and make a contribution.)

The Millers have been training for the climb, which will take place Aug. 29 through Sept. 1. “We trained on Mount Baldy,” Debra said. The first 2,000 feet, I was doing OK. The next 1,000 was tough. And Paul was at the top, waving.”

On Mount Rainier, Debra said, the last leg will begin at midnight and involve using headlamps for the last 4,000 feet. “You get to 14,411 feet, you take your photos, say ‘Ah’ and head straight down,” she said.

So what does her son think of Debra’s mountain climbing and other charitable work?

“He’s been telling me, ‘Mom, you can do it,’” Debra said “He basically is feeding me back all that I’ve told him these past years. He recently said ‘I know you’ve made a lot of sacrifices for me.’ And at night I’m tired, but in the morning, I’m ready to go at it.”