Put on your dancing shoes and head to Red Stick Social on July 15 to support local families affected by Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS).

The celebration, hosted by Katie Martinez, aims to raise awareness about the rare genetic disorder her 9-year-old son, Samuel, lives with. Benefiting the Prader-Willi Syndrome Association | USA, the fun-filled evening will feature dancing, bowling, a silent auction and more.

“Having a child with a genetic syndrome can be devastating, but there is hope with the right support,” Katie says.

From birth, Samuel faced extraordinary challenges. He spent seven weeks in the NICU and underwent surgery at one month old to place a gastrostomy tube, or G-tube. Like many infants with PWS, he was unable to eat by mouth in the early months of his life. At four months old, he began nightly Human Growth Hormone injections, a routine that continues to this day.

Low muscle tone, another hallmark of PWS, delayed many of his earliest milestones. He did not lift his head until six months, begin crawling until 18 months, or walk independently until after age two. Since birth, he has received speech, feeding, occupational and physical therapy. Eating by mouth did not come until after his first birthday, and his G-tube was not removed until age two.

Currently, PWS has no known cure, which is why families tirelessly work to raise awareness for loved ones living with the diagnosis and funding to support affected families, drive critical advocacy efforts and advance research toward future treatments.

Dancing Through the Decades will be a fun, high-energy community event to support local PWS families and the Prader-Willi Syndrome Association | USA, featuring music and dancing spanning the 1970s through the 2000s.

To learn more, purchase tickets or donate at give.pwsausa.org/decades.