Swinging into action for boy

In some ways, Curren Salvati is your typical Spider Man-loving little boy. He’s sweet, likes to swim and is protective of his baby sister, Ava.

In other ways, Curren isn’t typical at all, and his Costa Mesa family faces many tough years ahead working to keep him in decent health.

Curren, 6, has Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a terminal disease that will most likely put him in a wheelchair before he’s a teenager. Most people with Duchenne don’t live past 25.

Curren’s family is hosting a charity golf tournament this afternoon, with proceeds going to Curren’s family to help pay for medical costs that will continue to rise as Curren’s illness progresses. He was diagnosed at 18 months, and the disease has rapidly progressed lately, his aunt Vikky Salvati-Fox said.

Because of the advanced stage of the disease, Curren is not eligible for many new, experimental treatments, she said.

Duchenne is an inherited muscle disorder characterized by rapidly worsening muscle weakness that starts in the lower body and progresses throughout the body as the person gets older. The muscle weakness comes from “wasting,” or a loss of muscle mass. It is replaced by fat and connective tissue. Muscle fibers are left shortened and scarred, according to the National Institutes of Health. Doctors recently prescribed him daily doses of steroids to combat the muscle wasting, family members said.

“He knows he’s different. He knows he can’t run and do other things that little kids can do,” Salvati-Fox said. “He can’t make it up the stairs in a two-story house. He recognizes that he’s different from other kids.”

Today’s charity tournament is scheduled for 1 p.m. at the River View Golf Course in Santa Ana, 1800 W. Santa Clara Ave. Entrance fee into the tournament is $150, which includes dinner sponsored by many local restaurants such as the Newport Rib Company and The Old Spaghetti Factory.

The public is invited to attend only the dinner — if they prefer — for $50. There will be a silent auction at 4 p.m. and entertainment throughout the evening.

For people unable to attend the event but wishing to help Curren’s family: Make checks out to The Salvati Family at 1139 El Camino Drive, Costa Mesa, CA 92626. For more information, e-mail Vikky Salvati-Fox at [email protected].

JOSEPH SERNA may be reached at (714) 966-4619 or at [email protected].