Families battle muscle-wasting disease

Blumenthal takes ACA fight to hearing on Barrett

Two Ridgefield families are in the thick of the fight against Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a progressive muscle-wasting genetic condition that steals movement and shortens young lives. Now one of the families has been thrust into the thick of a fight for a seat on the U.S. Supreme Court.

Jessica and Chris Curran’s 10-yearold son Conner, who has been battling Duchenne muscular dystrophy for five years, was highlighted Monday by U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal D-Conn., who told Conner’s story to demonstrate the importance of the Affordable Care Act — “Obamacare,” which the Trump administration has challenged in court — in relation to the nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the highest court in the land.

“Conner is a superhero, but he’s always had a real sidekick,” Blumenthal told the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Judge Barrett’s nomination. “He’s had the protection of the Affordable Care Act. It has shielded him and his family from arbitrary caps on coverage that would have cut off his care when it became too expensive. It has protected Conner from losing insurance because of this insidious disease that he never caused or chose.

in helping those in need,” Cynthia C. Merkle, Union Savings Bank president and CEO, said in a statement. “With the financial services industry being a critical part of the foundation of our community, asking the banks to stepup first seemed achievable.

Two phone calls later, we had $45,000 to seed this effort.”

The mayor has said he hopes the effort will garner at least $100,000 in total. Those who donate $500 or more may get a tour of the sewer plant.

The coronavirus pandemic has increased demand for food in the area, with some pantries serving three times as many house

holds as they were before, the banks said.

“COVID-19 has permeated every aspect of our community and threatened access to some of our most basic needs,” Kenneth L. Weinstein, president and CEO of Newtown Savings Bank, said in a statement. “This effort will put food on tables that would have been bare going into the cold weather season and

the holidays.”

More than 24 agencies in the area are part of the Danbury Food Collaborative. This includes 14 food pantries and congregate meal programs.

The organizations who will benefit are: Association of Religious Communities, Bethel Food Pantry, Brookfield Social Services, Camella's Cupboard, Catholic Charities - Morning

Glory Breakfast Program, Community Action Agency of Western CT, Daily Bread Food Pantry, Hillside Food Outreach, Interfaith AIDS Ministry, Jericho Partnership, The Salvation Army, Victory Christian Center, Purple Heart Ministries and Walnut Hill Community Food Pantry.

“The City of Danbury has a long history of helping the less fortunate, and the banking community prides itself on giving back where it is needed the most and will have the greatest impact,” Martin G. Morgado, president and CEO of the Savings Bank of Danbury, said in a statement.

Individuals and businesses can donate through the online campaign portal, which is hosted by the United Way of Western Connecticut.

Jose Luis Magana / Associated Press From left, Sens. Chris Coons, D-Del., Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., Dick Durbin, D-Ill., Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., and Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., hold photos of people they say where saved by the Affordable Care Act, Monday in Washington.

Shawn Thew / Associated Press Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn, speaks before the Senate Judiciary Committee Monday in Washington, backed by a photo of Conner Curran, of Ridgefield.