KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Western Michigan hockey team welcomes National Collegiate Hockey Conference rivals North Dakota next weekend, with Saturday being the annual Ice Duchenne benefit game.
Ice Duchenne was started back in 2012 after Louie Facca, son of former WMU associate head coach Rob Facca, was diagnosed with Duchenne's Muscular Dystrophy in 2011. Duchenne's is the most common fatal genetic disorder diagnosed during childhood, affecting approximately one in 3,500 boys worldwide. The disease results in the degeneration of muscle and affects the legs, heart, lungs and brain. While there is no cure, aggressive therapy and treatments have helped Louie and many boys around the world slow the effect of the disease.