This is a picture of me with my son Evan, 5, who has Duchenne. I am carrying him on my back for two reasons...

1) His leg muscles are not strong enough to climb and I want him to experience the joy of being on a mountain top. 2) I am training for the climb of my life. I am climbing Mt. Rainer at the end of August. Only 50% of climbers who try, summit this mountain. Yet, those odds are so much better than my son faces with Duchenne. It is 100% fatal.

What do you do when you find out your son has a 100% fatal disorder? His little body will only get weaker from this moment on. How do you accept that you have maybe 15 more years until ... if your lucky? When he leaves in the morning, proudly wearing his Thomas the Train book backpack, excited about going to school...and as you smile and wave, a knife digs into your gut...because you know something he doesn't...most boys with Duchenne wont live long enough to finish school. How do you get used to that?? He's energetic, silly, imaginative, independent, playful, loving and full of life. He tells you his dreams of what he wants to be when he grows up. When he asks you questions like "Can I drive you around when I grow up?...how do you answer his happy blue eyes. How do you sleep when you think about how his big brother, Billy, 8 will suffer when he finds out that his best friend and only sibling will not survive to adulthood with him.

My name is Bill Procko. The only thing I can do is try to stop this nightmare by getting money to the scientists who are working on a cure. My wife and I are constantly trying to raise money and awareness. It is a mountain we are both climbing. Many times we fall and have to rescue each other. We keep going because we believe we can get to the top. We believe Evan will not have to realize the horror ahead if we can successfully wake up the world to this disorder and channel money into research. I am climbing to get the media's attention and direct funding to research that will save my sons life.

My wife and I don't have wealthy connections to help us. Fundraising has been very difficult. We are constantly pouring our hearts out to ask for help. Our goal is to raise dollars equal to the elevation of the climb, ($14,411 per climber). Our team of 12 hopes to raise around $170,000. Some members of our team our very close to their goal. So far, I personally have only been able to raise $7,000. Many are sympathetic and promise help but in the end... they are silent. Please, if you can, extend your hand to mine and help me up this mountain by donating to my web link: http://www.firstgiving.com/williamprocko. You can also follow me on Twitter under "cureclimber".