On Oct. 5, several Belmont University Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) students volunteered at Garrett’s Hero Run, a 5K event to raise money and awareness for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.  Garrett Sapp, the event’s namesake, has Duchenne muscular dystrophy, and  is the son of Belmont DPT alumna, Amber Sapp (’05), and her husband, Randy Sapp.  The annual event is organized by the Sapp family to raise money for a nonprofit organization called Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy (PPMD), which is the largest nonprofit organization devoted solely to ending Duchenne.

Dr. Christi Williams, associate professor in the School of Physical Therapy at Belmont as well as a fellow 2005 alumna and classmate of Amber’s, shares Garrett’s story with current PT students at the start of each fall semester. “I feel strongly that there is something special here at Belmont, and we refer to it as the ‘Belmont PT Family.’  This ‘family’ serves to support you when you need it most,” Williams states.

Each year the DPT students show their support by heading to Maury County Park in Columbia, Tennessee to participate in Garrett’s Hero Run.  The students dress in super hero costumes and cheer for all the runners while directing them through the course.

This year there were more than 20 DPT students at the race to support the real hero of the day, Garrett. Amber noted, “It’s so encouraging to know that our support system includes Belmont PT students and alumni alike coming together for such a great cause. It gives us hope to know that despite our circumstances, we are not alone in our fight for a cure.”