Marlins for Mason Tournament

We are proud to announce that the 3rd Annual Marlins for Mason Tournament will be held August 1st and 2nd, 2025 at the Ocean City Marlin Club and Sunset Marina in Ocean City, Maryland. Marlins for Mason is a 501(c)(3) non-profit marlin release tournament benefiting the Dravet Syndrome Foundation.

Mighty Mason Prather is a beloved 7-year-old member of the Ocean City fishing community who lives with Dravet Syndrome, a rare, catastrophic, and lifelong form of epilepsy that significantly affects all aspects of life. Mason suffers from frequent severe and prolonged seizures, developmental delays, and has feeding and mobility issues.

During his brief life, he has had hundreds of seizures, innumerable ER visits, and frequent hospitalizations. The treatments are both limited and ineffective, and nearly a quarter of children with Dravet Syndrome die before adulthood. Currently, there is no cure for this life-shattering condition.

Because Dravet Syndrome is rare, very little money is spent on research. The Dravet Syndrome Foundation is dedicated to finding better treatment options and someday, a cure. We launched Marlins for Mason to help find a cure and raise awareness in honor of Mason and the others who suffer from this calamitous condition.

In 2024 Marlins for Mason donated $505,000 to the Dravet Syndrome Foundation. This was once again the largest donation they have ever received. In less than two years Marlins for Mason had donated over $818,000 to the Dravet Syndrome Foundation independently funding two large research projects through DSF.

The money raised through Marlins for Mason in 2024 funded a transformational science grant at the Allen Institute to test a potential new gene therapy for Dravet Syndrome that would directly target impacted brain cells “Circuit Selective Whole SCN1A Gene Delivery for Dravet Syndrome.”

In 2023, Marlins for Mason funded “Therapeutic benefit of MGE progenitor cell transplantation in a rabbit model of Dravet syndrome” also looking at potential future treatment options for Dravet.

Marlins for Mason is a 100% nonprofit fishing tournament and fundraising effort, all money raised is donated directly to research to search for better treatment options for Mighty Mason and all those who suffer from Dravet. Marlins for Mason is making a big impact on the Dravet Syndrome world and with your help we will continue to work towards better treatment and hopefully someday a cure.

Please join us in 2025 as we fight for a better future for all those who live with Dravet.

Entry Fee Donation

The entry fee (donation) of $500 to Marlins for Mason will make boats eligible for trophies and prizes. Additional prize money will be offered through calcuttas. Learn More