October 4, 2023 – October 6, 2023

3rd Annual Cannonball – October 4-6, 2023!

Brett, Peter, Monica, & Reece are hoping to raise some serious cash to fund research for a cure for SYNGAP1! Remember to donate while watching the live stream to win big prizes! They’ll be giving away free stuff while they’re driving cross-country!

What an event! Thank you to everyone who helped us along the way!

Although our campaign has ended, you can still help CURE SYNGAP1 at cureSYNGAP1.org/Donate!

Racing across the country seems crazy, but you’ll do anything to help raise money to save your child. That’s why Brett Stelmaszek is taking on the challenge, to raise money for his three-year-old son, Emmitt, who suffers from a rare genetic disease called SYNGAP1-related disorders. The disease means Emmitt can’t speak, requires round-the-clock care, and has suffered from medication-resistant seizures since he was six months old. But there is hope. Researchers are working on a slew of medicines and therapies to restore the SYNGAP1 protein that Emmitt and hundreds of other children are missing as a result of this genetic disease.

What is SYNGAP1?‍

Elemy Yeme (L) and Monica Harding (R) talk with Fox News about SYNGAP1, SRF, & Cannonball

‍**Brett & Sydney Stelmaszek are guests on** *SYNGAP1* Stories, Episode 018

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Our friend dedicated an Effisode of Once Upon A Gene to Cannonball

Cannonball 2022

2022 Press

WLS 890 AM interview: 3 dads raised $156 thousand dollars in 57 hours for their kids’ rare genetic disease
The Dallas Morning News: McKinney dad’s cross-country trek raised more than $150K for research of son’s disease
HottyToddy.com: Local Attorney Driving Across County Live on Stream to Raise Awareness, Raise Funds for Rare Genetic Disorder Research
Forbes: Electric Cannonball Run: Dads Drive A Tesla Model Y Cross-Country To Fight Illness Affecting Their Sons
CNBC: These dads drove over 57 hours, live-streamed the cross-country trip on YouTube and raised $156,000 for their kids’ rare genetic disease
CBS New York: Dads take “dares for donations” on cross-country trip raising money for SYNGAP1 research
Fox News: From NY to LA: Dads drive across the country to expand awareness for their kids’ rare disease
Pittsburgh Today Live: Watch here
SRF Press Release: 2022 Cannonball for a Cure Announced!

Cannonball 2021

*Brett and his son, Emmitt, at their home in Pittsburgh, PA.*

To drive forward the quest for a cure, Brett will combine his love for his son with his passion for tech. His Youtube channel, UFD Tech, will livestream their fundraising event, Cannonball for a Cure. Donations will benefit SynGAP Research Fund, an organization committed to accelerating the science to cure SynGAP and to support families affected by the disease. Their target is to raise $100,000 over the three day stream which will begin at 9AM on October 6th and end October 8th.

‍Press Release: Cannonball for the Cure #UFDcure

The Cannonball Run Challenge is a route from Red Ball Garage in New York City, NY to the Portofino Hotel in Redondo Beach, CA. The vehicle used will be Brett’s Tesla Model X. The trip is estimated to span nearly 2,900 miles and take close to 60 hours combined driving and charging times. Though the crew will not be vying for a record-setting time, they will incorporate their passion for all things tech and amusing antics that they’ve come to be known for. In addition, the stream will feature giveaways from corporate sponsors including a top of the line gaming PC. A trip across the country in the Model X symbolizes the growing number of SYNGAP1 patients across both the USA (~250) and the world (883), and the community’s certainty that new technologies will result in a cure. Furthermore, caring for a loved one affected by SynGAP1 is a non-stop feat of endurance, much like the Cannonball Run Challenge.

Over the years, UFD Tech has cultivated a following with its audience around the Stelmaszek family’s experience with SYNGAP1. Last year, the UFD team, in partnership with SynGAP Research Fund, raised over $40,000 during a 24-hour livestream at the channel’s studio. The annual charity livestream is an event that the UFD Tech audience and SYNGAP1 community both look forward to. It’s also a unique opportunity for sponsors to contribute to research while receiving recognition during the livestream. Donations made by viewers and sponsors will help fund FUNCTION: a collaborative Drug Discovery Project in partnership with RareBase, PBC which SRF has pledged $150,000 to support.

For inquiries about becoming a sponsor of the charity livestream, please contact UFD Media Marketing Manager, Tendai, at tendaim@ufdmedia.com. Press coverage inquiries can be directed to Sydney at sydney@syngapresearchfund.org. UFD Tech Founder, Brett Stelmaszek, can be reached at bretts@ufdmedia.com.