Cal’s Cupcake Challenge raises funds for children with leukodystrophy.

The day benefits the nation’s first Leukodystrophy Center of Excellence at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and Jefferson Health’s Kind Pediatric Hospice Unit, Pennsylvania’s only in-patient children’s hospice facility.

Who is Cal? Calliope “Cal” Carr is the youngest child of Bala Cynwyd residents, Pat and Maria Carr. Cal was diagnosed with leukodystrophy at age 2. Since then, Cal’s Foundation has sold 35,000 cupcakes and raised almost $500,000 to establish the nation’s first Leukodystrophy Center of Excellence at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

What is leukodystrophy? Leukodystrophy is a family of 50 disorders including Canavan and Tay-Sachs  diseases.  Children with leukodystrophy appear healthy at birth but then lose the ability to walk, talk, eat, and see.  Leuodystrophy affects 1 in 7000 people. All forms of the disease are fatal.