Duchenne Dash 2026 – London to Paris (300km in 24 hours)**

On Friday 8 May 2026, we — Laura and Andrew — are taking on the Duchenne Dash, cycling 300km from London to Paris in just 24 hours to raise vital funds for Duchenne UK.

This challenge is incredibly close to our hearts. Our son Ted was diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) in April 2024, and our world changed forever.

Our Story

We’re a family of five — Mum Laura, Dad Andrew, and our three amazing children. Ted is our youngest, aged 7, with two big sisters, Isla (11) and Olive (8), who absolutely adore him. Like most families, life is busy, noisy, full of love, and often chaotic in the best possible way.

Ted is funny, kind, endlessly curious, and stubborn in the best way. He loves laughing with his friends, asking a thousand questions a day, and keeping us all on our toes. To us, he’s just Ted.

But Duchenne is a rare, cruel, and progressive muscle-wasting condition. It affects around 2,500 males in the UK, and is caused by a fault in the dystrophin gene. Without dystrophin, muscles are easily damaged and weaken over time — including the heart and lungs.

As Ted grows, his muscles will slowly weaken instead of getting stronger. The things he can do today — run, jump, climb, play — are things we know he will lose. One day he will need help to walk, then a wheelchair, and later support to breathe. There is currently no cure, and no parent is ever prepared to be told that their child’s life may be shorter than it should be.

Why Duchenne UK

Duchenne UK has one clear aim: to end Duchenne.

Founded by two mums whose own sons have Duchenne, the charity turns urgency into action. They fund life-saving research, fight for faster access to treatments, and stand beside families like ours through every stage of this journey. They’ve helped us feel informed, supported, and — most importantly — hopeful.

Research is already changing what the future could look like. With continued funding, new treatments can slow the disease, giving boys like Ted more strength, more independence, and more time. Families affected by Duchenne cannot afford to wait.

Why the Duchenne Dash

The Duchenne Dash is Duchenne UK’s flagship cycling event and has raised over £9 million for Duchenne research over the past 14 years.

It’s fair to say this is well outside our comfort zone — we only started cycling six months ago and had never worn Lycra before! But we’ve been training hard through the winter, and on 9 May 2026, we hope to reach Paris knowing every mile was worth it.

Our Ask

We’re cycling for Ted’s future, for his sisters, and for every family facing a Duchenne diagnosis.

If you’re able to donate, share, or support us in any way, it truly means the world. Every pound raised brings us one step closer to changing what Duchenne means — not just for Ted, but for so many others.

Thank you for being part of our journey 💙