A good glass of wine can be a small pleasure, but a great glass of wine can be a force for change. The second-annual Napa in Miami, taking place Saturday, March 4 at The Ritz-Carlton, South Beach, is a wine auction in which Napa Valley vintners offer their best vintage wines to Miami’s top philanthropists to fundraise for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) research.
Photo Courtesy: CureDuchenne
In its inaugural event last year alone, Napa in Miami helped raise an exceptional $800,000 towards developmental drug research to cure the genetic muscular deterioration condition.
The idea for the event began in the difficult year of 2020, when Miami locals Chris and Susan Finazzo learned that their sons, Chase, 8, and Dylan, 5, were diagnosed with the condition that affects over 300,000 young boys globally.
“We were devastated the day we found out both our sons were diagnosed with Duchenne,” shares Susan Finazzo, the Napa in Miami Chair. "But CureDuchenne has given us hope.”
Photo Courtesy: CureDuchenne
CureDuchenne, a global nonprofit organization founded 20 years ago in Newport Beach, California by parents of a son diagnosed with Duchenne, teamed up with the Finazzos as a result of their similar story. Together, they worked to form this new fundraising event that would support greater DMD research endeavors.
The event includes vintner-hosted tables, a Grand Tasting, an appetizing dinner and several auction lots. According to Debra Miller, founder and CEO of CureDuchenne, the funds gained from Napa in Miami allow CureDuchenne to fund research in the early stages of drug development, pushing the process out of labs and into more clinical trials and approvals.
“It’s a one-of-a-kind event with the opportunity to enjoy rare and exclusive wines, but more importantly, attendees are helping us save a generation of children facing Duchenne muscular dystrophy,” explained Miller. “We’ve made tremendous progress in research toward a cure, and every dollar makes a difference.”
CureDuchenne is a global leader in research, patient care and innovation. Miller shares that continued scientific advancements depend on them being able to continue funding this transformational research.
“Decades of research have gotten us to where we are today, and science is moving faster than ever before,” Miller shares. “We can, with the support of generous donors, create the first generation of long-term Duchenne survivors. These boys are counting on us, but the time is now.”
For more information about Napa in Miami and to reserve a spot at the 2023 event, please visit its website.
Photography by: Photo Courtesy: Cure Duchenne
