What you can do for DMD

 

A Mother's Journey: Why Your Gift Matters This Labor Day

Three of my friends are navigating life with their sons diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). THREE OF MY FRIENDS. Duchenne is a devastating muscle disease that causes loss of mobility, feeding oneself, breathing independently and eventually heart failure. As someone who has watched from the sidelines, I thought I understood their journeys. I was wrong.

In an attempt to honor what they carry daily—the weight that others rarely see—I wrote what I believed captured the experience of a mother navigating this diagnosis. When I shared those 600 words with one of them, asking for her thoughts, she returned them transformed into nearly 1,600 words. What she gave back wasn't just an edit; it was a window into a reality I could never have imagined on my own.

The Power of Research, The Need for Hope

If you grew up watching television, you likely remember Jerry Lewis and the MDA Labor Day Telethon—a tradition that spanned four decades and raised millions for muscular dystrophy research. But as the telethon faded from our screens over the past 15 years, so did much of the public awareness and funding that fueled critical research.

One mom didn't accept this decline quietly. In 2018, she began something powerful: she started praying specifically for researchers. Not just for a cure, not just for her son, but for the brilliant minds working tirelessly in laboratories, seeking breakthroughs that could change everything.

Today, her prayers are being answered in ways that seemed impossible just a few years ago. Her son is now participating in a drug trial that is making a noticeable positive impact. This isn't just hope—it's tangible progress happening right now.

Your Role in This Story

This Labor Day, I'm asking you to invest in the important work happening today: research that transforms lives. Behind every research grant, every clinical trial, every late night in a lab, there are real children and families whose futures hang in the balance.

My friend's prayers are for researchers, who need your support. The momentum building in Duchenne research needs your investment. You must partner with us to make hope a reality. CureDuchenne.org supports new research, early detection, and access to treatment.

Donate today at CureDuchenne.org