💙 About Our Organization

The Loving Loic Foundation was founded by Sherine and Mark Blackford in honor of their son, Loic, who was diagnosed with Pantothenate Kinase-Associated Neurodegeneration (PKAN)—a rare and fatal genetic disorder that affects as few as three in one million children. What began as one family’s fight has become a movement uniting PKAN families, researchers, clinicians, and supporters worldwide around one mission: to fund and accelerate the development of a gene therapy cure.

In just two years, the Foundation has raised over $2.4 million, directly supporting groundbreaking PKAN gene therapy research led by Oregon Health & Science University and the Horae Gene Therapy Center at UMass Chan Medical School. This work builds on two decades of scientific progress and is designed to move a promising gene therapy from laboratory studies into human clinical trials.

This week, Montana’s biggest rivalry becomes something it has never been before: Cats vs. Griz—again—this time in the FCS playoffs. It’s the first-ever postseason matchup between Montana and Montana State, and the first time the teams have played twice in the same season since 1913. Even bigger: the winner of this playoff rematch advances to play for the FCS National Championship.

Sherine used to be a Griz cheerleader. Now our family lives in Bozeman. So we’re doing what Montanans do best: turning rivalry energy into real-world action. For this playoff rematch, we’re hosting a rivalry donation war—Team Griz vs. Team Cats—with one shared purpose: funding the work that could save kids like Loic.

Our strategy is bold—because the timeline is urgent:

Secure the remaining funding needed to complete pre-clinical studies and initiate Phase I/II trials.
Strengthen partnerships among families, scientists, and donors to accelerate development and regulatory readiness.
Expand awareness of PKAN and rare diseases to drive advocacy and support.

How it works: pick your team, donate, and share. The team that raises the most earns bragging rights—but the real winners are the kids and families who can’t wait.

Every effort is guided by the belief that no child’s life is too rare to matter. Together, we’re transforming heartbreak into hope—and hope into action—for children like Loic and for generations to come.

Brawl of the Wild: Cats vs. Griz for Loving Loic Foundation

By Loving Loic Foundation

Brawl of the Wild: Cats vs. Griz for Loving Loic Foundation

Two teams. One cause. One day.

Team Leaderboard

Team Members