Courier Post Logistics Ltd announces £1m support to Duchenne UK
5 Feb 2021
Duchenne UK is delighted to announce a new partnership with Cheshire-based business Courier Post Logistics. They have committed to raising an incredible £1m towards our work finding effective treatments for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD).
Courier Post Logistics were motivated to support Duchenne UK after their Sales Director Chris Bullock’s son Joe was diagnosed with DMD. This is his story:
“Our gorgeous twins Jess & Joe were born in June 2013, after years of infertility and IVF. As they weren’t expected until the September their arrival 10 weeks premature was a giant surprise! As was the incredible love at first sight of these teeny, tiny babas (Jess 2lb14, Joe 2lb5).
They had a really tough time – Joe especially – sepsis, chronic lung disease, a collapsed lung, hole in the heart, cardiac arrest – 35 minutes to resuscitate him, hernias caused by needing a ventilator to breathe for a long time and a morphine overdose.
After 3 months in the neonatal unit Joe came home, hurray! but his battles were not over. By age 3, Joe had had 10 surgeries, numerous hospital stays and he depended (and still does) on a tummy feeding tube as he can’t eat well for himself. He was behind on development milestones like climbing stairs and running – but surely no wonder after all he had had to contend with?
He is a superstar, a cheery, happy little fella – Jess’s best friend – and just as we thought he was going to get a break, he was diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD).
DMD is a rare, but devastating, aggressive, progressive muscle-wasting disorder which primarily affects boys.
Those diagnosed with DMD are unable to produce dystrophin, a protein vital for the stability of muscle cells, without it muscle cells gradually waste and die. The ability to walk unaided is usually lost by the early teens, by the early 20’s those affected are mostly paralysed.
And most will not live beyond their 30s. There is no cure, DMD is currently 100% fatal.
Duchenne UK is funding incredible research to find a cure for DMD – which gives us a glimmer of hope! A cure just can’t come soon enough. Please help to save our amazing, gorgeous boy – our hero – just look at that little face!”
If you would like to join Courier Post Logistics Ltd in supporting us you can make a donation via their fundraising page by clicking here.
Together, we will end Duchenne.