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Family holds second annual fundraiser for son's scleroderma nonprofit | TribLIVE.com
Murrysville Star

Family holds second annual fundraiser for son's scleroderma nonprofit

Patrick Varine
Patrick Varine
1961797_web1_GTR-LO-Lanterns-1-112019
Shane Dunlap | Tribune-Review
Family members of Kody Churma, from left, mother Laurie Churma, sisters Brooke and Montana Churma, and father Duane Churma, at right, all from Washington Township, let a sky lantern afloat during the second annual lantern release fundraiser for Scler-Churma, a non-profit foundation founded by Kody Churma, who died in September 2018 from scleroderma, on Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2019 at the Shootin’ Bull Tavern in Washington Township. Laurie Churma said the funds raised for the foundation will help those who have the disease, as well as other autoimmune diseases. "He was a very humble man," said Brooke Churma, Kody’s sister. "He wanted to help others."
1961797_web1_GTR-LO-Lanterns-3-112019
Shane Dunlap | Tribune-Review
Sky lanterns are released by friends and family of Kody Churma, including friend Matt Johnson, of Kiski, and his wife Amy, at left, on Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2019 at Shootin’ Bull Tavern in Washington Township for the second annual lantern release fundraiser for Scler-Churma, a non-profit started by Washington Township local Kody Churma, who died in September 2018 from scleroderma.
1961797_web1_GTR-LO-Lanterns-4-112019
Shane Dunlap | Tribune-Review
Tyler Brosius, of Plum, stretches out the inside of a sky lantern while others prepare for the lantern release into the night sky on Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2019. at Shootin’ Bull Tavern in Washington Township. Brosius was friends with Kody Churma, and was in attendance for the second annual lantern release fundraiser for Scler-Churma, a non-profit started by Churma, who died in September 2018 from scleroderma.
1961797_web1_GTR-LO-Lanterns-2-112019
Shane Dunlap | Tribune-Review
Sky lanterns are released by friends and family of Kody Churma, including friend Matt Johnson, of Kiski, and his wife Amy, at left, on Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2019 at Shootin’ Bull Tavern in Washington Township for the second annual lantern release fundraiser for Scler-Churma, a non-profit started by Washington Township local Kody Churma, who died in September 2018 from scleroderma.

Laurie Churma of Washington Township was joined by friends and family Tuesday as they paid tribute to her son Kody and raised money to fund research into the disease that took his life.

In less than two years, Kody Churma went from a healthy young man to one who was unable to hold a fishing pole, and couldn’t draw because he wasn’t able to hold onto a pencil. Kody died from complications related to scleroderma, an autoimmune disease that attacks skin tissue and can damage internal organs.

Before he died in September 2018 at age 26, Kody started Scler-Churma, a nonprofit organization aimed at raising awareness and educating others about the disease. The organization held its second annual fundraiser on Tuesday at Shootin’ Bull Tavern near the Murrysville-Washington Township border, ending the evening with a lantern release in Kody’s memory.

For more, see SclerChurma.org.

Patrick Varine is a TribLive reporter covering Delmont, Export and Murrysville. He is a Western Pennsylvania native and joined the Trib in 2010 after working as a reporter and editor with the former Dover Post Co. in Delaware. He can be reached at pvarine@triblive.com.

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Categories: Local | Murrysville Star | Valley News Dispatch
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