The Tucson-based Muscular Dystrophy Association has announced a $6.4 million bequest from the estate of Rachel Ann Perkinson of North Carolina.

The largest gift in MDA's history will be used by the organization to build a new 15,000-square-foot facility and support muscular dystrophy research. The center, to be called the Rachel Ann Perkinson Center, will be designed to meet green-building and energy-efficient standards and be 100 percent compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Dedicated to curing muscular dystrophy, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and related diseases, MDA provides comprehensive healthcare and support services, advocacy, and education to individuals with those diseases. "At a time when the current economic crisis has forced MDA to cut every possible expense this incredible gift enables us to make an urgently needed investment in the association's future," said MDA president and CEO Gerald C. Weinberg. "We're deeply grateful to all the MDA contributors who are helping us weather the storm we're facing, and especially to this remarkable person who made possible this lifesaving bequest."