Muscle disorders often start in childhood, and the most frequent in children is Duchenne muscular dystrophy which is usually diagnosed around the age of 2 and mainly affects boys. As his muscles get weaker, a boy with Duchenne will lose the ability to walk, to turn over in bed or to hug a loved one. He's likely to be using a wheelchair by the age of 7 and to be completely dependent on an electric one by his early teens. Life expectancy can be short as the breathing muscles weaken further.

But he won't give up hope and we need your help to improve the quality of life for people living with muscular dystrophy, to enable them to meet their challenges and to fulfil their potential.

• Research support brings hope, so that one day a cure might be found for muscular dystrophy.
• Providing wheelchairs not only enables a child or adult to move around more easily, but helps them to gain a sense of freedom, independence and social inclusion
• Hoists can make life a little easier for carers who must lift someone in and out of a wheelchair everyday
• Support groups and seminars, along with our newsletter 'Talking Point', enable our members to join together, be better informed and not feel alone
• Respite care programs allow families and carers to have much-needed breaks from their everyday routine and to recharge their batteries

Contact details for this appeal:
Mr David Jack
Chief Executive Officer
Telephone: 1800 635 109
Email: djack@mdansw.org
Website: www.mdansw.org

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