Olympic Gold medalist highlights Lupus fundraiser in Roseville

Olympic gold medalist Kevin Martin is not a household name like Michael Phelps or Simone Biles. But in the tight-knit and growing curling communities throughout the nation, Martin is a towering figure in the Winter Olympics sport and considered by some to be the greatest curler of all time. Curling is a team sport, played on ice, where two teams take turns to slide stones made of granite toward a target. At Skatetown in Roseville Sunday, 24 aspiring curlers from across the country had the opportunity to learn from the Canadian Hall of Famer in his Kevin Martin Academy Regional Tour clinic. The once-in-a-lifetime clinic arguably served a more important purpose, though, as proceeds of the event went to the Minnesota-based Lupus Research Foundation and its aspiration to find a cure for the misunderstood disease. For Regan Birr, founder and executive director of the foundation, having Martin on board brings tremendous notoriety to lupus awareness. "He's top in the world and such a wonderful person," Birr said of Martin. "I mean we are working with the greatest curler of all time. He is beloved around the world. We are just honored and tremendously delighted to work with him." The Lupus Research Foundation is home to the largest curling Pro-Am in the world, "Lupus Spiel USA," which has been in operation for six years, Birr said. In addition, the foundation conducts other curling events around the United States with the mission of raising funds for lupus research and by raising awareness. In conjunction with the Lupus Spiel, Martin has conducted his academies for the past several years, Birr said. This past weekend's trip to Roseville represents the first time they brought Martin's clinics "on the road," Birr added. "It's kind of a new concept I would say, sort of a travelling curling show," Martin said. "But of course, it's a travelling curling show with a very important message. It's only been a few years, so from the big scheme of things, it is kind of new. But judging by the enthusiasm we have out here today, I would say it is going very, very well." Martin added the sheer tenacity of Birr and what it means to partner with someone so passionate about raising awareness about lupus. The Lupus Research Foundation had its roots when Birr was diagnosed with lupus after becoming life-threatening ill. Given the lack of research into the disease, Birr was treated with chemotherapy typically used by breast cancer patients, she said. After two-and-a-half years of chemotherapy, Birr achieved long-term remission, which is rarely achieved by those diagnosed with lupus. To date, the foundation's Lupus Spiel USA has grown from 22 teams in its first year in 2014 to 58 teams in 2019, Birr said. Last year's Spiel raised $170,000 for the cause alone, she added. All proceeds from fundraisers has funded acclaimed researcher and geneticist Dr. Timothy Niewold, who is director of the Colton Center for Autoimmunity at New York University's Langone Medical Center, Birr said. For more information about the Lupus Research Foundation, visit letscurelupus.org. What is Lupus? According to the Lupus Research Foundation, lupus is an auto-immune disease where the immune system is overactive, which results in healthy tissue being attacked. The following are facts about the often times misunderstood disease as provided by the Minnesota-based foundation. - Attacks can attack the heart, brain, liver, lungs, kidneys, skin and joints. - Symptoms include joint pain, muscle pain, debilitating fatigue, skin disorders and serious susceptibility to infection. Lupus is life threatening. - Lupus is a disease that is genetic and flared by external triggers. - 1.5 million Americans have lupus. - It is more prevalent than AIDS, multiple sclerosis, sickle-cell anemia and cystic fibrosis combined - 90 percent of people with lupus are women. - There is currently no cure. For more information about the Lupus Research Foundation or to learn more about the disease, visit letscurelupus.org.