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Support Group Facilitators

Meet Mark Planco

Florida Regional Support Group

MDF Annual Conference

View past & upcoming conferences

Mark Planco is a semi-retired veterinarian in South Florida, who lives with his wife, Lori. Both of Mark’s children have DM1 and live just 15 minutes away! He was diagnosed in 2005 and has been very active in the DM community, attending 15+ conferences. Mark is honored to become a support group facilitator to continue connecting with people dealing with DM and support in any way he can. Outside of the DM community, Mark has a productive vegetable garden, and loves everything Florida Gators related. His motto is: Be Strong, Live Long.

Meet the rest of the team

Board of Directors

Comprised of leaders in science, finance, fundraising, advocacy and non-profit leadership. Their expertise helps our work, assess our impact, and guide our pursuit of patient-relevant outcomes.

Medical & Scientific Advisory Committee

A group of leading myotonic dystrophy specialists and researchers from around the globe. Our advisors provide guidance, grant peer reviews, and speak at our annual conference.

Staff & Interns

Our staff and interns oversee the Foundation’s daily operations and work closely with the Board to guide and implement our strategic priorities.

Support Group Facilitators

Our support group facilitators are volunteers who give their time and energy to guide discussions, share resources, and foster meaningful support for individuals and families living with DM.

Former Board Members

Past leaders who have helped shape the organization’s direction and impact. Their experience and dedication continue to inform our work and strengthen our commitment to the community.

Awareness Ambassadors

Trained volunteers who share personal experiences to raise awareness and help researchers, clinicians, industry partners, and other audiences better understand what it means to live with DM.

National Advocacy Committee (NAC)

First launched in 2022, the MDF National Advocacy Committee (NAC) is a group of extraordinary community volunteers dedicated to working at the federal level in the US to increase myotonic dystrophy (DM) awareness, grow DM research funding, and advance policies to accelerate the approval of drugs to treat and eventually cure DM.