Current Students in the University of Pennsylvania Master of Science in Genetic Counseling Program

Students in our first and second year classes formed a team of riders and volunteers for rideATAXIA Philly 2021.  It was a great day as the Friedreich's ataxia community came together to raise money (over $347,000 so far!), to celebrate achievements, and most of all to CURE FA. Our team, the Krebs Cyclists, contributed more than $1,700 toward that total, tripling our goal! We also helped direct traffic, checked in riders and volunteers, iced drinks, rode in the 6 mile and 20-mile distances, cheered on riders, and helped with the breakdown and clean up.

rideATAXIA is a nation-wide program of bike rides that welcomes people of all abilities to ride and to raise awareness and funds for the Friedreich’s Ataxia Research Alliance (FARA)’s mission to treat and cure FA, a debilitating, life-shortening, degenerative neuro-muscular disorder. About one in 50,000 people in the United States has FA. It is estimated there are 4,000 individuals affected with FA in the U.S., and 15,000 affected individuals worldwide. The University of Pennsylvania Masters in Genetic Counseling Program has a longstanding relationship with rideATAXIA and FARA. Members of FARA have generously offered their time to lecture on Friedreich’s ataxia and FARA’s mission. In addition, FARA regularly hosts UPenn Genetic Counseling students through a patient advocacy rotation placement.