The University of St. Thomas Athletic Department is excited to announce that the Celts to Cure fundraiser is returning for the Spring 2023 season. This event is dedicated to UST alumnus David Gonzalez '20, diagnosed with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, a genetic disorder that breaks down muscle tissue in one out of 5,000 young men. Celts to Cure is tied to Coach to Cure, a program that raises awareness about Duchenne through sports involvement and communities.
"While one of the essential goals of Celts to Cure is to raise money that will fund research to find a cure for Duchenne, I would say that the main goal is to educate everyone on the disease and the difficulties that those living with the disease have to face," Gonzalez said. I want people to know that Duchenne causes us to not only lose the ability to walk but also gradually lose all our physical abilities and have to deal with heart and lung problems.
Like last year, the event will be tied to the Celt baseball team. Festivities will kick off with the "Breakfast and Baseball" event set for 4/27 from8-10am. At this time, passersby can come to enjoy breakfast with David Gonzalez and our UST baseball team, as well as receive information on the Celts to Cure game and Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy resources. Students can also receive a limited edition Celts to Cure T-Shirt voucher as they learn from Gonzalez and his family.
The Celts to Cure game is scheduled for April 28th, 2023 as St. Thomas will face SCAC rival Trinity University at Constellation Field in Sugar Land, Texas. The first pitch for the special game is scheduled for 6 PM. Before and throughout the game, individuals will have the opportunity to support this campaign through T shirts, donations, and educational sources.
My hope is that, as a result, many people within the UST community will know what we are fighting to bring an end to and come together to help ensure that no one will ever have to live with such a devastating disease" Gonzalez added. "I also hope that many will come to a greater realization that the various abilities they have are blessings that should not be taken for granted, but one should cherish these blessings and make the most of them while one has them, utilizing them for the good of others and in order to grow into a better person."
Celts to Cure was first created by Gonzalez when he reached out to UST Athletic Director Todd Smith. They discussed how Coach to Cure is done through a football game between a school's players and a sports team composed of people who are affected by MD. However, since UST does not have a football team, the department got creative. So Celts to Cure has partnered with the UST Celt basketball teams in order to fundraise. It began in conjunction with each team's senior night, and at the conclusion of the men's game, UST student-athletes would play power soccer against Gonzalez's team, the Houston Fireballs. Power soccer is played using motorized wheelchairs and large soccer balls. Then starting last year, Celts to Cure partnered with UST baseball as the team was introduced to Duchenne and David. Celt baseball played against Centenary College and won both games on Celts to Cure Day to secure their first-ever SCAC tournament appearance.
Each time the athletics department has participated in Celts to Cure, it has been a success. What makes this year special is that David is graduating from St. Thomas with his Masters in Psychology.
The second annual Celts to Cure Baseball game will take place at the Sugar Land Space Cowboys Constellation Field, as baseball faces SCAC opponent Trinity University. First pitch for the game is at 6 PM and tickets can be found here! Come out and support David Gonzalez and his fight against Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy!
