Duchenne muscular dystrophy is a condition affecting 1 in 3,500 boys and there are approximately 100 boys born in the UK each year with Duchenne. This condition means the body cannot produce enough dystrophin, a protein needed for the muscles to grow and repair. The muscles become weaker over time and most boys with Duchenne lose the ability to walk as they reach their early teens. This devastating condition leads to  breathing and heart complications which means boys like our Shiv do not usually live beyond their twenties. 

The Muscular Dystrohphy Campaign is doing  groundbreaking work to fund research projects seeking a cure for Duchenne and funding trials in the drive towards potential treatments. They require funding to progress the research and trials and make a cure available to boys with Duchenne. 

Our family, as with other families, cannot face the thought of a future without Shiv and all boys with Duchenne need your help in raising money for the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign. We need to find a cure now for this life threatening condition and to prevent any more families facing a future without their son.

Please donate wherever you can as this will help the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign continue their groundbreaking work. You can find more information at www.smilewithshiv.org and thank you for taking the time to read my story and for your donation. 



How you can help:

1. Sponsor my Justgiving page - any amount big or small will be hugely appreciated

2. Spread the word - let others know about DMD and please share my Justgiving page

Thank you for reading my story. Together we will #fightduchenne 

For more information, please visit:
Website:  www.smilewithshiv.org
Facebook:  Smile with Shiv
Twitter:  @svt_mands

Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.