Welcome to the Castle: Facing Down and Defeating Your Fears

New App Plays ‘Pivotal’ Role in Increasing Registry Successes

In the first year since Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy (PPMD) and Thread launched a mobile app aimed at making participation easier, engagement in the Duchenne Registry — a newly revamped, 12-year-old network of patient-powered data — increased more rapidly than ever before, the non-profit reported. From November…

STRIVE Applications for Duchenne Community Now Open

Applications are now open for the seventh annual Strategies to Realize Innovation, Vision, and Empowerment (STRIVE) Awards program for Duchenne muscular dystrophy. The annual program, facilitated by PTC Therapeutics, was designed to help support initiatives that address unmet needs in the Duchenne community. Goals of STRIVE range from…

Why I’m Taking a Break From Playing Video Games

I’m a self-described gamer, and proud of it, but lately I’ve realized I’ve probably been playing too much. Two weeks ago, during online church services, we talked about fasting, including from things beyond food, such as social media and TV. That raised the question with me of why not trying…

NORD’s Caregiver Respite Program Continues Through Pandemic

Caring for a loved one with a rare disease, especially during these uncertain times, demands significant time, attention, patience, and dedication. To help meet that need, the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD)’s Rare Caregiver Respite Program may be a helpful resource. The program seeks to give a…

A Bittersweet Farewell to My Column Readers

Dear readers, This will be my last column for Muscular Dystrophy News. I want to thank you for following along with “You, Me, and MD” and for supporting me. You are the reason I write, and I hope I have made some difference in your…

Exon 45 Skipping Therapy for DMD Shows Safety in Small Trial

A potential exon-skipping therapy for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) called DS-5141 showed a good safety profile with repeat dosing in a small clinical trial, according to a press release. The Phase 1/2 clinical trial (NCT02667483) tested DS-5141 for a first time in Duchenne patients amenable to exon 45 skipping. No…