Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) is a rare progressive disease that is often diagnosed in early childhood and leads to considerably reduced life expectancy; because of its rarity, research literature and patient numbers are limited.

Children with Duchenne MD usually start to have noticeable symptoms between 1 and 3 years of age and as they grow may have difficulty walking, running or jumping, difficulty standing up, learn to speak later than usual, be unable to climb the stairs without support

and may have behavioural or learning difficulties.

They may need a wheelchair by the time they're 12 years old, as their muscles weaken and they lose the ability to walk. They can also develop scoliosis, where the spine begins to curve sideways. This can lead to one shoulder or hip being higher than the other.

By their mid-teens, some people with Duchenne MD will develop dilated cardiomyopathy. This condition affects the heart muscles, causing the heart's chambers to enlarge and the walls to get thinner.

By their late-teens or early 20s, people with Duchenne MD may start to have breathing problems. The condition can also affect the muscle tissue between the ribs and the diaphragm.

Once the heart and respiratory muscles are damaged, Duchenne MD becomes life-threatening. With medical care, most people with Duchenne MD die from heart or respiratory failure before or during their 30s.

There's currently no cure for muscular dystrophy but a variety of treatments can help to manage the condition. Our aim is to find a more effective way to improve the quality of life for many sufferers.

Please help us to help them . . . thank you.