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Arizona Woman to Swim Across State Lakes for Rare Disease Research

May 11, 2016

An Arizona woman is swimming across four state lakes to raise money for research to find a cure for a rare disease that two of her brothers have.

Kristin Jones is participating in the SCAR Swim. Participants swim from dam to dam through Saguaro Lake, Canyon Lake, Apache Lake and Roosevelt Lake.

Jones and dozens of others from around the world started on Wednesday, and the event runs through Saturday.

She is raising awareness and money for the Friedreich’s Ataxia Research Alliance. It’s a nonprofit that is researching a way to treat and cure Friedreich’s ataxia (FA), which is a debilitating, life-shortening, degenerative neuro-muscular disorder.

It hits close to home for Jones since two of her brothers have it.

“So I wanted to tie in fundraising for that organization with my swimming,” Jones said. “Two things I really care about and am really passionate about.”

Her brothers are her inspiration to keep her going through the tough, four-day swim.

“I personally do need that to help motivate me when times get tough, and I don’t want to continue, which has happened,” Jones said. “I tell myself, you know what, I’m not going to quit because it’s not like my brothers can quit having this disease. It’s with them; they don’t get the choice.”

So far, Jones has raised more than $15,000 for FARA.

Read more at the source.

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