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Community Corner

Update: HK Holiday Show to Benefit Team Avery

The student-produced telethon aired Friday morning and helped raise money for three-year-old Avery Leopoldino of Old Saybrook.

By 1 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 23 $18,500 had been raised to help three-year-old Avery Leopoldino. Anyone interested in making a donation should visit this website:

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Haddam-Killingworth High School will host its 24th Annual Holiday Show telethon on Friday, Dec. 23, to benefit three-year-old Avery Leopoldino, who has been diagnosed with CDKL5 - a genetic disease that causes daily seizures, developmental delays, cognition problems and the inability to walk or talk.

HKTV was inspired to choose Avery as its charity after the students met with Avery and her parents Mark and Kristen Leopoldino of Old Saybrook. Avery is a “silent angel” who has touched the lives of so many people that encounter her. She is happy all the time and she has endured extensive medical treatments in order to find her current diagnosis. CDKL5 parallels Retts syndrome and scientists do know that these two genes belong to the same molecular pathway. There is a tremendous amount of hope for her and her friends.

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The disease is so rare that only about 200 children in the world suffer from it. CDKL5 predominantly affects girls because it’s linked to the X chromosome. It also causes vision impairment, along with gastrointestinal and respiratory problems. Since Avery’s diagnosis of CDKL5 last year, her family has ventured to raise awareness and money for research into the illness.

To watch Avery's story click on the attached video.

The HKTV Telethon is a live, student-produced program which has raised more than $375,000 over the past 23 years. Students select a different charity each year. To date, $1,950 has been raised for Team Avery.

The 2011 Holiday Show will air live on Comcast Channel 18 and on the Regional School District website from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Community members and local organizations are encouraged to help fundraise for this cause and then present their donation live on TV.  Communication students at Haddam-Killingworth are proud and excited to share Avery’s story with the community.  This will bring children like Avery hope that CDLK5 is just one step closer to a cure.

If you would like to get involved or want more information please email the show's producer Chuck Lewis at HKTV@rsd17.org

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