August 9, 2007 - At the recent Annual General Meeting of Muscular Dystrophy Canada, Rick Mills was elected as Chair of the national Board of Directors. That election fulfilled a dream that Rick has held for more than 20 years -- to serve persons with neuromuscular disorders as the leader of this national voluntary health organization.

Rick came to our cause, as many do, because a member of his family and therefore his entire family were directly affected by muscular dystrophy. Rick's youngest brother David, was a person with a neuromuscular disorder, a person who had Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Rick, like all of his 5 brothers and 6 sisters was a very active care-giver and a best friend to his brother until his death at age seventeen, in February of 1983. The mission of Muscular Dystrophy Canada has also been Rick's personal mission all of his adult life, he is completely committed to the achievement of our ultimate goal and he has taken daily action to ensure it will happen.

Brother Mills is a career Fire Fighter with the Richmond Hill Professional Fire Fighters, IAFF Local 1957, he joined the Richmond Hill Fire Service as a full-time firefighter in January of 1988, for the previous four years Rick served as a volunteer firefighter with Richmond Hill. Rick's desire to become a firefighter was influenced by the dedication and support of IAFF firefighters he met at fundraising events for the Muscular Dystrophy Association of Canada -- shortly after joining Richmond Hill Fire Rick became the MDAC Department Chair, a position he still holds today, a man who "walks the talk" to say the least.

He has served on many regional and national committees of Muscular Dystrophy Canada since 1988, all with fundraising and each with increasing responsibility and countless hours of service to persons with neuromuscular disorders from Boot Drives to hosting the national Jerry Lewis Telethon in Canada, Rick has literally done it all over the years and now he will lead our collective efforts in the fight against neuromuscular disorders for the next two years. There is no doubt Rick will continue to be involved until the "fire of muscular dystrophy" is fully extinguished.

Brother Mills is the proud husband of Debbie and dedicated father of Jacob and Jessica. Rick's family provide complete support for his efforts with MDC -- it is very much a family commitment inspired by Rick's passion to end muscular dystrophy.

Rick Mills is the third firefighter to lead Muscular Dystrophy Canada as Chair of the Board since our formation in 1954. A man with a heart as large and compassionate as his "outside voice" Rick will continue the tradition Canadian firefighters have maintained since 1954, a proud and envied tradition he will deliver with energy, enthusiasm and, as always, good humour.