Blu Genes Foundation

TMG Builders is our gracious Decor Sponsor this year - helping Velo Blu 2024 look beautiful! Thank you for your support 🙌💙@tmg_builders

💦Our riders need hydration! Thank you to our Water Bottle Sponsor - Miller Thomson LLP. @millerthomson

💙Owens Wright Lawyers is back again supporting Velo Blu 2024 as our Start and Finish Line Sponsor for our riders! 🚲 We are so thankful to have their support year over year!

💙Thank you for supporting Velo Blu 2024 - special thank you to our Experience Niagara Sponsor - @Rogers 👏

Welcome to Velo Blu 2024 - with our one and only Welcome Sponsor, @CityzenGroup. Thank you for your years of support - we would not be here without you! 💙👏

💙VELO BLU 2024 💙 Time to grab your tickets for a beautiful scenic ride in Niagara-on-the-lake on September 13, 2024. Learn more and donate at: blugenes.org/event/velo-blu-…

We’re kicking off Velo Blu 2024 - Pedal for Blu Genes! A special thank you to our annual Kit Sponsor - Greybrook Realty. 💙 @greybrookrealty

At Blu Genes Foundation, we hope that we can continue to reassure families and show them that there is still hope - and that Blu Genes will keep working to find a cure.

Blu Genes' goal is to support the development of promising treatment options for Tay-Sachs Disease, and to also fund the groundbreaking research that may one day provide options for families living with other rare genetic diseases as well.

In most cases, 2 defective copies of a gene - 1 from each parent - are necessary to cause a genetic disorder in their child. Since each of the parents provides one copy of the gene to a child, there is a 1 in 4 chance that their child would have a disease.

Blu Genes Foundation was founded 7 years ago - and since then we’ve been able to fund an innovative gene editing research project ongoing at @SickKids, and the fight to find a cure for Tay-Sachs Disease continues. We are proud of the work and progress made so far!

In some cases, only one defective copy of a gene is enough to cause a genetic disorder. These can arise by a spontaneous mutation, but generally they are diseases that don’t show their effects right away.

How common are genetic disorders? Though individually rare, collectively they affect millions of people worldwide, including many children. According to @WHO, the prevalence of all single-gene disorders at birth is 10 in 1,000.

Whole-genome sequencing can help sick infants with rare diseases avoid months/years-long worth of tests & hospitalizations without a clear diagnosis. Studies show rapid whole-genome testing may lower health costs by reducing unnecessary hospitalizations, testing, and care.

Few hospitalized babies with an undiagnosed illness undergo whole-genome sequencing — a diagnostic tool that allows scientists to quickly identify genetic disorders and guide clinicians’ treatment decisions by analyzing a patient’s complete DNA makeup.

Many private and public health insurers won’t cover the $4,000-to-$8,000 expense of whole-genome sequencing. Florida now is among eight state Medicaid that programs do. Read more at blugenes.org/blugenes-news-u…

Celebrating 4th of July with our friends in the US! 🇺🇸

Enjoying the long weekend. Happy Canada Day! 🇨🇦

Every year, Dr. Evgueni Ivakine attends our Afternoon Tea for Blu and helps educate us on Tay-Sachs Disease, Rare Genetic Disorders, and the research being done on Gene Therapy at @SickKids. We are grateful to have his support and expertise.

A special thank you to our special presenting sponsor - @BMO. Supporting our Afternoon Tea year after year means the world to us!