Corben is car and football mad! His dream, like most other boys, was to become a footballer one day; however, keeping up with his peers has always been such a struggle. Over the years, we had noticed the effort Corben had to put in to jump or run even a short distance, and the fatigue he suffered just wasn’t right for a young, healthy boy.

After a trip to the doctors with our concerns, Corben was referred to a physio who told us that there was nothing wrong from a muscle point of view but gave us some stretches to do, in the hope that this would increase his flexibility and, in turn, help with physical activity. In July 2021, at a Laser Tag party for his 8th birthday, Corben’s arm muscles seized in a bent position. Seeing our little boy in such pain after only 15 minutes of playing, we knew something wasn’t right. So, back to the doctors again for a full blood workup, which revealed high liver enzymes, leading them to test for muscular dystrophy (MD).

In November 2021, we were given the full diagnosis that our little boy had Becker muscular dystrophy. Corben was just eight years old, and our world as we knew it came crashing down around us.

Since the diagnosis, Muscular Dystrophy UK has been a real lifeline. Meeting families in a similar situation at the annual Family Fund Weekend has been fundamental in giving us the support we truly needed after his diagnosis. The MDUK community is so special and a big part of our lives now. Therefore, we have decided to set up a family fund called Corben’s Courage to raise awareness of muscular dystrophy and to fundraise for research into Becker muscular dystrophy and other muscle-wasting conditions.

With the help of MDUK, friends, and family, we hope to raise as much money as possible to help find a treatment or cure.

We are in the early stages of our fundraising journey, but with a 10K Halloween walk and a Go Bright Day at Corben’s junior school under our belts, we are keen to keep going. This year, my sister Sarah and I are currently training for a whopping 100km walk in the Peak District at the end of June 2025, and for 2026, we hope to join the Ben Nevis Trek or the Pedal Paddle Peak challenge. Corben is keen to do some fundraising of his own while he is still physically able, so keep an eye out for news on that!

Net proceeds from this event will be split 80/20% between MDUK’s research into Becker muscular dystrophy and helping support Corben with future needs.