November 27, 2000

PROGRESSIVE FOOT DISORDER ENDS
FURMAN CENTER ARBAUGH'S CAREER

GREENVILLE -- Furman University head basketball coach Larry Davis announced today that sophomore center Darrell Arbaugh's collegiate basketball career is over due to a progressive neurological foot disorder known as Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT).

"This is a very big blow to our team -- physically, emotionally, and spiritually," said Davis in making the announcement Monday afternoon. "Darrell was a leader on the floor and a very fine player who we will definitely miss in those capacities, but he will remain a big part of our team and will continue to help us in many ways while pursuing his degree the next two years."

Arbaugh, a 6-foot-7, 255-pound product from Ashland, Ky., who earned starts in 21 of Furman's 28 games and averaged 5.8 points and 3.9 rebounds per game as a freshman a year ago, was diagnosed as suffering from CMT in the spring by doctors at Duke University Medical Center.

"At the time of his diagnosis the doctors told us that Darrell could continue his career without any risk of injury or great acceleration of the disorder, but upon his return this fall he experienced more severe symptoms and we sent him back to Duke," added Davis. "After re-evalutation the doctors determined the disorder had progressed faster than normal and that he was now considered high risk for a knee or leg injury. While Darrell's career is over, the good news is his condition is not life threatening and he will continue to be a valuable part of our program."

The inherited disorder, which affects 150,000 Americans, causes patients to slowly lose normal use of their feet/legs, and hands/arms as nerves to the extremities degenerate. The muscles in the extremities become weakened because of the loss of stimulation by the affected nerves. Additionally, there is a loss of sensory nerve function. Unlike muscular dystrophy in which the defect is in the muscles, CMT is a disorder in which the defect is in the nerves that control the muscles.