Looking for a way to help during the COVID-19 crisis, stay in shape and relieve stress during this time of social distancing?

Take part in the HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology and Huntsville Track Club’s (HTC) first Virtual Double Helix Dash 5K. The health crisis from the COVID-19 coronavirus continues to take its toll, but HudsonAlpha figured a way to keep the race alive. Here’s how:

• Registrants can run the 5K anywhere, anytime between March 31 and April 14.
• Log your time on HTC’s online form and send a photo to back it up, such as a screenshot of a fitness app or time on Garmin, for example. Runners are encouraged to wear their Double Helix Dash shirts from previous years in their photo.
• HTC will track and post results. Participants must log their times by Tuesday, April 14, at 11:59 p.m. Though full results will be published, because of the nature of the event, formal awards won’t be made for top finishers.
• Swag bags will be provided at a later date. Participants will be notified about packet pick-up dates and times when current restrictions are lifted.

The virtual 5k will benefit childhood genetic disorders research at HudsonAlpha. Thanks to such work, Violet Monson received a diagnosis of Rett syndrome and was able to begin medical treatment. (HudsonAlpha)

The Double Helix Dash supports childhood genetic disorders research at HudsonAlpha, which is providing answers – and hope – to families across Alabama, such as Violet Monson of Montgomery. Monson is the 2020 Childhood Champion. She was diagnosed with Rett syndrome through HudsonAlpha’s Clinical Sequencing and Exploratory Research project, which works to diagnose children with unexplained developmental delays through the use of genomic sequencing.

Monson’s “D-Day,” or Diagnosis Day, was May 12, 2016. After months of waiting in between doctor’s appointments – sometimes as long as six months – her parents, Matt and Mandy Monson, finally learned the name behind their daughter’s condition, Rett syndrome. Rett syndrome is a rare neurological disorder that affects 1 in 10,000 girls across the globe.