New Jersey father says state blocked him from fundraising for son’s treatment

New Jersey dad who has raced around the world to raise money for the treatment of his son’s muscular dystrophy says state’s gambling ban prevents him from auctioning a Mustang for the charity.

Jim Raffone’s 11-year-old son Jamesy was diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy in 2013, a rare but fatal condition that causes progressive muscle weakness, Patch.com reported. That same year, he and his wife Karen founded Jar of Hope to raise money for DMD research, according to Patch.

Raffone, who lives in Manalapan, has traveled the world for the cause, reported Patch, performing runs and multi-day rides across New Zealand, Australia and most recently, from Old Bridge, NJ, to Washington. , DC.

But the pandemic put an end to his fundraising efforts, Raffone said, so he decided to auction off a Ford Mustang to close the gap. He planned to sell 1,000 tickets at $ 100 each to help support an experimental treatment that could prolong the lives of children with DMD, as the average life expectancy is 20 years. The experimental study costs $ 35,000 per month, Raffone said.

State officials, however, forced him to cancel the raffle, Raffone said.

“The state attorney general’s office tells us that we cannot [raffle the car] … Attorney General’s Office says state law prohibits online gambling, ”Raffone told Patch.com.

Now Raffone is calling on State Senator Samuel Thompson and United States Representative Christopher Smith to help change the law.

“In New Jersey, you can bet on a horse or on various sporting events, to make a profit,” Raffone said. “But … can’t you buy a raffle ticket online, from a charity, to help save a child’s life?” What’s wrong with this image? “