Charity Spotlight: The Ara Parseghian Medical Research Foundation

Ara Parseghian is regarded, alongside Knute Rockne and Frank Leahy, as one of the great coaches in Notre Dame history. He won two national titles in 11 seasons for the Fighting Irish and finished with 95-17-4 record in South Bend before retiring after the 1974 season to become a broadcaster for ABC.

But Parseghian’s post-football career might be more impressive than anything he did as a coach.

The 92-year-old from Akron, Ohio, has devoted much of the last 20 years to finding a treatment for Niemann-Pick Type C (NP-C) disease, a genetic, neurodegenerative disorder which causes progressive deterioration of the nervous system. Though it also affects adults, the disorder primarily strikes children, with death occurring before or during adolescence.

The Parseghian family founded the Ara Parseghian Medical Research Foundationshortly after they learned that three of the four children of Mike and Cindy Parseghian — Ara’s grandchildren — were diagnosed with NP-C disease.

Now over 20 years old, the Parseghian Foundation is supported by an army of dedicated volunteers. This includes a group of accomplished and respected biomedical scientists and clinicians who serve as members of the Foundation’s Scientific Advisory Board. With their help and through the generosity of those who’ve donated their time and money, dozens of medical research projects have been funded by the Foundation in the United States and throughout the world. The Foundation is one of the leading organizations nationally that raises money to fight disease.

“There will be no cure without research and no research without funding.”  — Ara Parseghian.

Sadly, the Parseghians’ son, Michael, lost his battle with NP-C in 1997 at age 9. Christa passed away in October of 2001 at the age of 10. Marcia died in 2005 at the age of 16. They are deeply missed. The battle continues to try to save the lives of thousands of other NP-C children and young adults around the world. The Parseghian family and hundreds of volunteers around the country are more determined than ever to conquer this disease.

The Heisman Trophy Trust is proud to be a benefactor to the Ara Parseghian Medical Research Foundation. For more information on how to donate your time or money to such a worthy cause, click here.