Editorial: Parental love knows no bounds

March 13, 2013 Editorial Staff
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We applaud Dayna and Manni Scarso, the parents of three-and-a-half-year-old Pietro, whose fight against Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy has become a cause celebre here in southwest Brooklyn.

It was last year that the Scarsos learned that their older son had the disease, which – unless it is reversed – would put him in a wheelchair by the tender age of 12.

Unfortunately, because the disease is a relatively rare one, little research has been done on it, and there currently is no cure.

The Scarsos want to change that, and change it in a hurry, in time to save their son.

To that end, they began an organization – named Pietro’s Fight – dedicated to raising money to be used to find a cure for DMD.

Pietro’s Fight has already tremendously raised the profile on the condition, which afflicts one in every 350,000 youngsters. Recently, State Senator Marty Golden signed onto the fight, sponsoring a resolution in the New York State Senate on Pietro’s behalf.

He’s not the only one to get involved. Local residents and businesses have joined in as well, with donations of money, time and goods, all with the goal of helping the Scarsos raise the money that is urgently needed in the fight against the disease. In fact, some 600 people attended the blockbuster Pietro’s Fight fundraiser on March 7 at the El Caribe – which is quite a tribute to the fledgling organization.

Indeed, Pietro’s Fight has already raised more than $75,000 which will be used toward a cure, currently being researched by Halo Therapeutics, a biotech company that has developed a medication, HT-100, that is beginning clinical trials and which the Scarsos say, “Presents great hope as a therapy” for DMD and other similar diseases.

For more information about the disease and upcoming fundraisers, or to make a contribution, log onto pietrosfight.org.

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