A thousand miles for Luc

Luc Hassell may never understand why his father biked 1,000 miles from Miami to Chapel Hill.

Luc, who’s 4, has Angelman syndrome, a rare neurodevelopmental disorder. He has severe intellectual disabilities, trouble sleeping and other developmental problems.

His father, Kellen Hassell, hopes to help Luc and the other one-in-15,000 children born with the condition by supporting research aimed at creating better treatments. A clinical assistant professor at Florida International University in Miami, Kellen made the bicycle trip from south Florida to UNC to raise awareness about Angelman syndrome and to deliver a $15,000 check to researchers here.

“This is where there is not only one of the very first interdisciplinary health clinics designed to diagnose and treat Angelman syndrome and support parents and families who have a loved-one with the condition,” Hassell said on his fundraising page, “but also where some of the most promising cure research is being conducted by Dr. Ben Philpot and his team.”

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