Blizzard Entertainment Raises Over $2 Million for CureDuchenne: A Tribute to Community and Legacy
Blizzard Entertainment and World of Warcraft players raised over $2 million for CureDuchenne, honoring Mats Steen, a devoted player lost to Duchenne muscular dystrophy, while promoting awareness and community support.
In a remarkable display of unity and compassion, Blizzard Entertainment® and the gaming community of World of Warcraft® have come together to raise over $2 million for CureDuchenne, a nonprofit dedicated to finding a cure for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). Inspired by the poignant documentary “The Remarkable Life of Ibelin,” the initiative has touched hearts and changed lives, honoring the legacy of the late Mats Steen, a devoted player known as Ibelin.
Honoring Mats Steen’s Legacy
Mats Steen, a young man from Norway, was diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy at a young age, a condition that steals muscle strength, leading to severe physical limitations and, tragically, premature death. Mats lost his life at just 25, but his journey didn’t end there; his story is one of connection, joy, and community. Through World of Warcraft, Mats discovered a vibrant world filled with friendships and adventures that transcended his physical challenges.
His family, upon his passing, uncovered the wealth of community and connection that the game provided him—a life filled with support and laughter that they had never fully appreciated. In remembrance of Mats, players worldwide adopted a limited-edition in-game pet, a fox named Reven, with all proceeds supporting the critical work of CureDuchenne.
The Impact of the Fundraising Campaign
The response from the gaming community has been nothing short of extraordinary. The opportunity to adopt Reven provided players a chance to honor Mats’ legacy while contributing to a noble cause. The campaign not only garnered significant financial support—$2 million to date—but also raised awareness about Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a condition that affects around 300,000 individuals globally.
According to Debra Miller, Founder and CEO of CureDuchenne, this partnership has been a breakthrough. “Not only has it raised critical funds for research,” she said, “but it has also generated awareness for Duchenne muscular dystrophy. The World of Warcraft community has demonstrated that gaming can be a powerful force for good.”
A Community United
The success of this fundraising initiative emphasizes the strength of the community and the impact that gaming can have in addressing real-world issues. The World of Warcraft community rallied together, showcasing the power of connection and shared purpose. The campaign reached across borders and time zones, allowing players from diverse backgrounds to unite in support of a common cause.
Holly Longdale, Executive Producer of World of Warcraft, expressed gratitude for the community’s generosity. “Your kindness helps enable the incredible work of CureDuchenne and honors the deeply impactful life of Mats Steen. We invite everyone to continue supporting CureDuchenne and to carry on Ibelin’s legacy with compassion and joy.”
The Future of Duchenne Research
The funds raised are critical for advancing research efforts aimed at finding treatments and improving care for those living with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. CureDuchenne is committed to accelerating research initiatives and to supporting families affected by this progressive disease. Their work includes funding early-stage scientific research, enhancing patient care, and providing educational resources to families.
Advertisement
CureDuchenne’s mission is clear: to bring treatments to everyone affected by this relentless disease, regardless of their financial status or geographical location. As the organization continues its vital work, the funding from the Blizzard partnership will play a crucial role in driving groundbreaking research forward.
The collaboration between Blizzard Entertainment and the World of Warcraft community serves as a shining example of how gaming can transcend entertainment to become a force for social good. The $2 million raised for CureDuchenne is more than a financial contribution; it symbolizes a tribute to personal legacy and a community united by purpose.
As we remember Mats Steen and cherish the friendships forged in virtual worlds, let us continue to advocate for those living with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Together, we can harness the power of community and gaming to drive change, support vital research, and ultimately, help find a cure. If this campaign inspires you, consider supporting CureDuchenne or participating in similar initiatives within the gaming community to make a difference. For more information on how to contribute, visit CureDuchenne.
About Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. Best known for iconic video game universes including Warcraft®, Overwatch®, Diablo®, and StarCraft®, Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. (www.blizzard.com), a division of Activision Blizzard, which Microsoft acquired (NASDAQ: MSFT), is a premier developer and publisher of entertainment experiences. Blizzard Entertainment has created some of the industry’s most critically acclaimed and genre-defining games over the last 30 years, with a track record that includes multiple Game of the Year awards. Blizzard Entertainment engages tens of millions of players around the world with titles available on PC via Battle.net®, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, iOS, and Android.
SOURCE CureDuchenne
Looking for an entertainment experience that transcends the ordinary? Look no further than STM Daily News Blog’s vibrant Entertainment section. Immerse yourself in the captivating world of indie films, streaming and podcasts, movie reviews, music, expos, venues, and theme and amusement parks. Discover hidden cinematic gems, binge-worthy series, and addictive podcasts, gain insights into the latest releases with our movie reviews, explore the latest trends in music, dive into the vibrant atmosphere of expos, and embark on thrilling adventures in breathtaking venues and theme parks. Join us at STM Entertainment and let your entertainment journey begin! https://stmdailynews.com/category/entertainment/
(Family Features) Play is a universal language spoken by people of all ages. Through play, children learn to forge connections with others, build a wide range of leadership skills, develop resilience, conquer fears and navigate relationships and social challenges.
For babies and toddlers, play is about far more than just having fun; it’s about learning and building important skills, from cognitive and physical to emotional and social abilities. As children get older, play helps reduce stress levels, process difficult emotions, promote problem-solving and build confidence – skills they need to thrive in a rapidly changing world.
Despite its importance, play is often undervalued and overlooked due to busy schedules, lack of resources or misconceptions about its benefits. Approximately 4 in 10 children ages 2-4 do not get enough responsive interaction or stimulation at home, based on estimates from UNICEF, and roughly 1 in 8 children under age 5 don’t have toys or playthings at home.
To overcome these barriers, it’s essential for parents and caregivers to recognize the value of both structured and unstructured play. Simple, everyday items – like kitchen utensils, cardboard boxes, leaves and stones – can be tools for imaginative play. Setting aside dedicated time for play, even in short intervals, can make a difference.
In honor of International Day of Play, consider these ideas to turn everyday activities into playful learning opportunities from UNICEF, which recognizes play as an important means to help children by providing access to evidence-based parenting programs and working with governments to prioritize play-based teaching and learning practices in schools and other learning environments.
Turn a grocery shopping trip into a scavenger hunt to teach kids about different foods, counting and categorization.
Role play or act out different scenarios you read in books or see in movies to help develop social skills and emotional understanding.
Make important language connections when getting dressed, such as identifying different articles of clothing and teaching colors.
Use bathtime to explore buoyancy and water with floating toys.
Play “I spy” while driving in the car or going for a walk around your neighborhood to help kids identify different animals, shapes, colors and elements of nature like trees, clouds and more.
Explore the kitchen through tasks such as choosing ingredients, measuring them and keeping time while cooking.
Use puzzles and building blocks to help develop problem-solving skills and hand-eye coordination.
Stimulate senses and promote fine motor skills through play with materials like sand, water or crafting dough.
Make sorting laundry educational by asking children to match socks by color or size, reinforcing their understanding of sorting and categorization.
Take turns doing the feeding at snack or mealtimes to build hand-eye coordination.
Find more ways to engage your children in fun, engaging play at unicefusa.org/play.
SOURCE:UNICEF
(Family Features) For those who have served in the U.S. armed forces, transitioning back to civilian life can be a challenge. However, community support can help make the transition easier for many veterans and provide those who offer that support – particularly young people – with rewarding opportunities and insight.
Take, for example, Daniel Finney, who started volunteering at a local Department of Veterans Affairs hospital where his mother worked when he was 13 years old. At first, his mother simply wanted him to learn from the veterans and their experiences, but volunteering changed the trajectory of Finney’s life.
He volunteered almost daily for the next 10 years, even inviting his friends to join him at the hospital. From that experience, Finney built valuable skills and chose to pursue a career as a physician’s assistant.
“I chose to volunteer at the hospital not only because it was a great opportunity, but because I wanted to give back to our nation’s heroes who I felt were too often overlooked,” Finney said. “In addition, volunteering with dedicated health care professionals allowed me to discover the actual purpose for my current career path.”
Not only did Finney reap personal rewards from volunteering and make a real difference in the lives of veterans, he also received tens of thousands of dollars in college scholarship money from DAV (Disabled American Veterans). The organization annually offers $110,000 in scholarships to student volunteers to be used toward accredited higher learning, including universities, colleges, community colleges and vocational schools.
“I look at this scholarship as another door opening up,” Finney said. “This has allowed me to do so many things. One of them is to pay for college. I want to continue to be a civil servant wherever I go. I want to continue to help veterans, whether that’s a part of my job or whether I’m still volunteering. It can be working at a hospital or helping with a food drive for the homeless veteran community. It can be anything. I now have that desire ingrained in me to continue to serve our veterans.”
These scholarships are open to students age 21 or younger who have contributed a minimum of 100 cumulative volunteer hours credited through DAV or DAV Auxiliary. Students can be nominated or may apply with the inclusion of an essay on what volunteering for veterans means to them. Learn more at DAVScholarships.org.
For students, or anyone interested in giving back, consider a few other ideas for supporting the nation’s veterans.
Express Your Gratitude
Simply saying “thank you” can go a long way in expressing gratitude to veterans. Whether it’s through a handwritten note, a heartfelt conversation or a public acknowledgment at a community event, showing appreciation can help veterans feel valued and recognized for their service.
Raise Awareness for Veterans’ Needs
Learning about the challenges veterans face, such as service-related health issues, homelessness and underemployment, then advocating for supportive legislation and programming can go a long way toward improving their situations.
For example, Amelia Marcum, another DAV scholarship recipient, developed a Native American veterans resource guide designed to provide veterans with key information about federal, state, community and tribal-based programs. She worked closely with Vietnam veteran and North Dakota state Sen. Richard Marcellais to bring the guide, which is now used by five tribal veterans resource service centers, to fruition.
“Volunteering to serve the veteran community has been immensely transformative for me,” said Marcum, a direct descendent of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians. “I discovered a profound sense of purpose in elevating support systems for Native veterans, a community that serves at the highest rates among ethnic groups yet often faces significant challenges in accessing the benefits they rightfully deserve.”
Support Veteran-Owned Businesses
Many veterans transition into entrepreneurship after their military careers, and your patronage not only helps their businesses thrive, but also puts money back into the local community. Look for veteran-owned businesses or use online directories to find veteran entrepreneurs when searching for specific goods and services.
SOURCE:DAV
Regional resilience describes a region’s ability to withstand and adapt to challenges such as economic shocks and natural disasters. Cities like Detroit that are still trying to bounce back from deindustrialization know from experience how critical this is.
Immigration contributes to regional resilience, research shows. In addition to supporting local economies and strengthening the labor force, the arrival of immigrants in Detroit has helped offset native-born population decline, stabilizing the overall population and bolstering local tax bases.
According to our analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data, the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn metro area grew by 1.2%, from a total population of 4,291,843 in 2010 to 4,342,304 in 2023.
According to U.S. Census Bureau estimates, the Detroit metro area’s native-born population decreased by 58,693 people during that 13-year period, while the foreign-born population increased by 109,154. The top five countries of origin for immigrants in the metro area are India, Iraq, Mexico, Yemen and Lebanon.
From 2023 to 2024, the metro area’s population gained 40,347 immigrants and lost 11,626 native born residents – resulting in a population gain of 28,721.
Efforts to welcome immigrants in Detroit and its surrounding communities contributed to this trend of immigrant population growth offsetting overall population decline.
3. Promoting social cohesion and enhanced civic engagement
Successful place brands are rooted in inclusion and a strong civil society. Detroit’s rich tapestry of cultures in areas such as Dearborn and Hamtramck creates a vibrant regional identity.
Organizations such as Global Detroit’s Welcoming Michigan actively support local grassroots efforts to build mutual respect and ensure that immigrants are able to participate fully in the social, civic and economic fabric of their hometowns.
Examples include Global Detroit’s Social Cohesion Initiative, Common Bond and Opportunity Neighborhoods. These initiatives help bring neighborhood residents of various backgrounds together to share their cultures, support each other’s small businesses and socialize. Such programs strengthen the region’s democratic foundations and enhance its appeal as a welcoming and inclusive place to live.
Forging a way forward
Detroit has found that welcoming immigrants and integrating them into the life of the city is one way to navigate the economic, political and cultural challenges it faces.
And it is not alone in embracing this strategy. Other cities practicing similar strategies include Baltimore; Boise, Idaho; Charlotte, North Carolina; Dallas; Dayton, Ohio; Louisville, Kentucky; New Orleans; Pittsburgh; Roanoke, Virginia; and Salt Lake City.
Although not all cities choose to pursue such strategies, in those that do, local leaders signal a region ready for a globalized future.Paul N. McDaniel, Associate Professor of Geography, Kennesaw State University and Darlene Xiomara Rodriguez, Associate Professor of Social Work and Human Services, Kennesaw State University
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
The Bridge is a section of the STM Daily News Blog meant for diversity, offering real news stories about bona fide community efforts to perpetuate a greater good. The purpose of The Bridge is to connect the divides that separate us, fostering understanding and empathy among different groups. By highlighting positive initiatives and inspirational actions, The Bridge aims to create a sense of unity and shared purpose. This section brings to light stories of individuals and organizations working tirelessly to promote inclusivity, equality, and mutual respect. Through these narratives, readers are encouraged to appreciate the richness of diverse perspectives and to participate actively in building stronger, more cohesive communities.
https://stmdailynews.com/the-bridge
Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here:
Cookie Policy
(Family Features) Play is a universal language spoken by people of all ages. Through play, children learn to forge connections with others, build a wide range of leadership skills, develop resilience, conquer fears and navigate relationships and social challenges.
For babies and toddlers, play is about far more than just having fun; it’s about learning and building important skills, from cognitive and physical to emotional and social abilities. As children get older, play helps reduce stress levels, process difficult emotions, promote problem-solving and build confidence – skills they need to thrive in a rapidly changing world.
Despite its importance, play is often undervalued and overlooked due to busy schedules, lack of resources or misconceptions about its benefits. Approximately 4 in 10 children ages 2-4 do not get enough responsive interaction or stimulation at home, based on estimates from UNICEF, and roughly 1 in 8 children under age 5 don’t have toys or playthings at home.
To overcome these barriers, it’s essential for parents and caregivers to recognize the value of both structured and unstructured play. Simple, everyday items – like kitchen utensils, cardboard boxes, leaves and stones – can be tools for imaginative play. Setting aside dedicated time for play, even in short intervals, can make a difference.
In honor of 
“I look at this scholarship as another door opening up,” Finney said. “This has allowed me to do so many things. One of them is to pay for college. I want to continue to be a civil servant wherever I go. I want to continue to help veterans, whether that’s a part of my job or whether I’m still volunteering. It can be working at a hospital or helping with a food drive for the homeless veteran community. It can be anything. I now have that desire ingrained in me to continue to serve our veterans.”
These scholarships are open to students age 21 or younger who have contributed a minimum of 100 cumulative volunteer hours credited through DAV or DAV Auxiliary. Students can be nominated or may apply with the inclusion of an essay on what volunteering for veterans means to them. Learn more at 
Paul N. McDaniel, Associate Professor of Geography, Kennesaw State University and Darlene Xiomara Rodriguez, Associate Professor of Social Work and Human Services, Kennesaw State University
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
