Gould dreams of a cure for muscular dystrophy
By Suzanne Hodgson
Staff Writer
Jacob Gould dreams of opening a coffee shop with his father, visiting every professional football stadium and meeting World Wrestling Entertainment personalities.
But most of all he dreams of being able to walk again.
“He’s got a lot of dreams and he should, he should have them,” said his mother, Kim Gould.
Jacob, 13, of Kennebunk, has muscular dystrophy and although he may never be able to walk again, he is trying to help others with MD.
For the past three years the Gould family has held a garage sale, not atypical for most families. However, their sales took a new turn when Jacob Gould decided he wanted to donate his share of profits to the Muscular Dystrophy Association.
“I don’t know what sparked it but he said ‘I’m going to give some of my money to the MDA people because I want to be able to walk again,’” his mother said.
Kim Gould started fundraising efforts soon after her son was diagnosed five years ago. She approached neighbors and area businesses for donations with hopes of raising for $1,000 the association. Her efforts fell short until Bartley’s Dockside Restaurant in Lower Village Kennebunk donated $220 to help Gould reach her goal.
Since the first year of the garage sale, the Goulds have raised an additional $500 from garage sales and will donate it to the MDA telethon on Labor Day weekend. The telethon, hosted by Jerry Lewis, is in its 45th year. The association combines money raised through small fundraisers throughout the country with donations before and during the telethon for one lump sum donation to the MDA.
Jacob Gould suffers from a type of MD called Duchenne, a form of the disease that develops early in childhood. Many who have this type of MD don’t survive past the age of 20, but Kim Gould said her son’s future may be getting brighter.
“Research has come a long way. There are boys out there living past 20, now they’re living to 22, 23. They are working really hard,” Kim Gould said.
Jacob’s mother noticed his symptoms when he was learning to walk and had more difficulties than his siblings. She said he fell often and couldn’t run very well. She began asking his doctor questions about his development, but didn’t get any answers.
After moving to Maine from New Jersey when Jacob was about 8, Kim Gould took him to a new doctor.
“She noticed he had big calves and I said he walked around on his toes a lot. We kind of looked at each other and I saw a light bulb go off in her head,” Kim Gould said.
A few more tests confirmed Jacob Gould had MD.
He can no longer walk, but he still plays soccer by moving the ball with the bottom of his wheelchair. He plays catch with his dad, but his arm strength has started to deteriorate.
“I sometimes like the wheelchair,” Jacob Gould said, because he no longer falls down.
For now, Jacob Gould is concentrating on the first day of school as a seventh-grader at Middle School of the Kennebunks, a place he said he really enjoys. Last year he made the high honor roll all four semesters.
The Gould family will hold their annual yard sale over Labor Day weekend and 50 percent of proceeds go to the MDA.
Staff Writer Suzanne Hodgson can be reached at 282-4337, ext. 233.
Staff Writer
Jacob Gould dreams of opening a coffee shop with his father, visiting every professional football stadium and meeting World Wrestling Entertainment personalities.
But most of all he dreams of being able to walk again.
“He’s got a lot of dreams and he should, he should have them,” said his mother, Kim Gould.
Jacob, 13, of Kennebunk, has muscular dystrophy and although he may never be able to walk again, he is trying to help others with MD.
For the past three years the Gould family has held a garage sale, not atypical for most families. However, their sales took a new turn when Jacob Gould decided he wanted to donate his share of profits to the Muscular Dystrophy Association.
“I don’t know what sparked it but he said ‘I’m going to give some of my money to the MDA people because I want to be able to walk again,’” his mother said.
Kim Gould started fundraising efforts soon after her son was diagnosed five years ago. She approached neighbors and area businesses for donations with hopes of raising for $1,000 the association. Her efforts fell short until Bartley’s Dockside Restaurant in Lower Village Kennebunk donated $220 to help Gould reach her goal.
Since the first year of the garage sale, the Goulds have raised an additional $500 from garage sales and will donate it to the MDA telethon on Labor Day weekend. The telethon, hosted by Jerry Lewis, is in its 45th year. The association combines money raised through small fundraisers throughout the country with donations before and during the telethon for one lump sum donation to the MDA.
Jacob Gould suffers from a type of MD called Duchenne, a form of the disease that develops early in childhood. Many who have this type of MD don’t survive past the age of 20, but Kim Gould said her son’s future may be getting brighter.
“Research has come a long way. There are boys out there living past 20, now they’re living to 22, 23. They are working really hard,” Kim Gould said.
Jacob’s mother noticed his symptoms when he was learning to walk and had more difficulties than his siblings. She said he fell often and couldn’t run very well. She began asking his doctor questions about his development, but didn’t get any answers.
After moving to Maine from New Jersey when Jacob was about 8, Kim Gould took him to a new doctor.
“She noticed he had big calves and I said he walked around on his toes a lot. We kind of looked at each other and I saw a light bulb go off in her head,” Kim Gould said.
A few more tests confirmed Jacob Gould had MD.
He can no longer walk, but he still plays soccer by moving the ball with the bottom of his wheelchair. He plays catch with his dad, but his arm strength has started to deteriorate.
“I sometimes like the wheelchair,” Jacob Gould said, because he no longer falls down.
For now, Jacob Gould is concentrating on the first day of school as a seventh-grader at Middle School of the Kennebunks, a place he said he really enjoys. Last year he made the high honor roll all four semesters.
The Gould family will hold their annual yard sale over Labor Day weekend and 50 percent of proceeds go to the MDA.
Staff Writer Suzanne Hodgson can be reached at 282-4337, ext. 233.
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