We are all aware in CBS about the story of the three beautiful Roscommon boys who sadly are suffering from DMD, or Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. Here I hope to explain what this disease is and whether or not you have donated already hopefully this will encourage people to support a worthy cause. Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) is a progressive neuromuscular disease that destroys muscle tissue and it is currently fatal.
• It is the most common, lethal genetic disorder diagnosed during early childhood.
• One in every 3,500 baby boys are born with DMD worldwide.
• 20,000 children are diagnosed with this horrific disease annually, in the developed world.
• There is no treatment or cure at present.
• DMD knows no cultural, ethnic, economic or social boundaries; it can happen to any family.
• It can happen randomly, in up to about 35% of cases i.e: with no previous family history.
• DMD is typically diagnosed in children between the ages of 3 and 7.
• It almost exclusively affects boys, causing them to be wheelchair bound, usually between 8 – 12 years of age and leaves them fighting for their lives by their late teens to early twenties.
• In The Republic of Ireland, at this time there are known to be approximately 110 people living with DMD; the majority of these are under 18 years of age.
• In the UK, 100 boys a year are born with DMD and 2 boys die each week of the disease, making it one of the world’s biggest genetic killers.
• It is now estimated that globally 200,000 children are diagnosed with DMD.
Most of this information and more is sourced from www.joinourboys.ie
• It is the most common, lethal genetic disorder diagnosed during early childhood.
• One in every 3,500 baby boys are born with DMD worldwide.
• 20,000 children are diagnosed with this horrific disease annually, in the developed world.
• There is no treatment or cure at present.
• DMD knows no cultural, ethnic, economic or social boundaries; it can happen to any family.
• It can happen randomly, in up to about 35% of cases i.e: with no previous family history.
• DMD is typically diagnosed in children between the ages of 3 and 7.
• It almost exclusively affects boys, causing them to be wheelchair bound, usually between 8 – 12 years of age and leaves them fighting for their lives by their late teens to early twenties.
• In The Republic of Ireland, at this time there are known to be approximately 110 people living with DMD; the majority of these are under 18 years of age.
• In the UK, 100 boys a year are born with DMD and 2 boys die each week of the disease, making it one of the world’s biggest genetic killers.
• It is now estimated that globally 200,000 children are diagnosed with DMD.
Most of this information and more is sourced from www.joinourboys.ie