PRESS RELEASE: Warner Robins Couple Hosts Major Fundraising Event in Macon to Combat Rare Disease That Claimed Three Family Members

2025 Cure VCP Disease Celebration Aims to Raise $100,000+ for Research on Saturday, August 9th at Fall Line Brewing

MACON, GA – August 8, 2025 – A Warner Robins couple fighting a rare genetic disease that has devastated their family will host their annual fundraising celebration this Saturday in Macon, with the ambitious goal of raising over $100,000 for critical research initiatives.

The 2025 Cure VCP Disease Celebration takes place Saturday, August 9th at Fall Line Brewing in Macon, featuring BBQ from Smoke South, Fall Line craft brews, cash bingo with $1,000 in prizes, and silent auctions. The family-friendly event expects 200 attendees from across the Southeast, with participants traveling from as far as California to support the cause.

A Personal Mission Born from Tragedy

Nathan Peck, co-founder of Cure VCP Disease, knows the urgency of this fight intimately. Diagnosed with VCP disease himself, Peck has lost three relatives to the progressive genetic disorder and currently has one family member still battling the condition. Now retired and on long-term disability due to the disease, Peck has transformed personal tragedy into a powerful advocacy mission.

"As a patient research organization fighting for a rare disease, we know that if we don't champion our cause, no one else will," said Peck, who holds engineering degrees from Georgia Tech and MIT and was appointed to the Georgia Rare Disease Advisory Council in 2022.

Record-Breaking Success Builds Momentum

Last year's celebration drew over 160 attendees and raised nearly $99,000, demonstrating the growing support for VCP disease research. The 2025 event aims to surpass both attendance and fundraising records, with 100% of net proceeds funding research, education, and awareness initiatives.

VCP disease is a rare genetic disorder that affects multiple body systems, causing progressive muscle weakness, bone disease, and cognitive decline. With no current cure or treatment, patients face a devastating prognosis that typically leads to disability and premature death.

Research Funding Powers Hope

The funds raised will support critical initiatives including:

Scientific leadership to advance research strategy
Biosample repository expansion for longitudinal studies
Cell model development and research advancement
Community coordination connecting patients, researchers, and industry partners

"Over the past seven years, we have accelerated progress and increased the pace of advancement, but we face significant headwinds ahead," explained Peck. "We're demonstrating to potential partners that we have an engaged patient population and active research network ready to partner in finding a cure."

Community Impact Beyond Georgia

Since 2018, Cure VCP Disease has become the central hub connecting patients, scientists, and doctors worldwide. The organization provides educational resources, research opportunities, scientific tools, and funding that empower the global VCP disease community.

The celebration, hosted by Nathan and his wife Allison Peck, represents more than fundraising—it's a gathering of hope for families affected by this rare condition and a demonstration of what grassroots advocacy can accomplish.

Event Details:

What: 2025 Cure VCP Disease Celebration
When: Saturday, August 9th, 2025 5:00 PM
Where: Fall Line Brewing, Macon, GA
Features: BBQ, craft beer, cash bingo, silent auctions, raffles, Plinko
Goal: Raise over $100,000 for VCP disease research and patient support
Registration: https://go.curevcp.org/2025Macon

For more information about Cure VCP Disease or to support the cause, visit http://www.curevcp.org or contact Nathan Peck at nathan@curevcp.org.

About Cure VCP Disease
Cure VCP Disease, Inc., is a patient advocacy organization dedicated to driving the development of a cure for valosin-containing protein (VCP) associated multisystem proteinopathy (MSP), also known as IBMPFD (Inclusion Body Myopathy, Early Onset Paget’s Disease of Bone and Frontotemporal Dementia). The disease is an adult-onset, hereditary, autosomal dominant disease caused by a pathogenic variant of the VCP gene on chromosome 9. It can affect any combination of a patients’ muscles, bones and brain and can cause degenerative diseases including ALS, frontotemporal dementia, Parkinson’s, and Charcot-Marie Tooth