In August 2022 our life was turned upside down when our handsome, silly, and sweet four-year-old son David was diagnosed with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD). Duchenne is a rare genetic mutation that impacts approximately one in 3,500 boys. While this is an extremely devastating diagnosis, we remain optimistic about the future of those living with DMD.
While we are not far into our journey, we have already learned quite a bit about this debilitating disease. Sadly, Duchenne not only causes physical and emotional damage, but it can also be financially burdensome to many families.
We believe that every child, regardless of financial status, disability or personal situation deserves to live their lives without struggle. Additionally, it’s equally as important that every parent can witness this for themselves. This has become incredibly important to us over the past 14 months, as we have been navigating our new “norm”. Many families living with Duchenne will not have that opportunity this year, as they are dealing with the financial hardships of medical bills, prescription drug costs, equipment, adaptations of their homes, travel costs to meet with physicians and many other issues that come with this disease. Our goal is to continue to assist families impacted by DMD this holiday season.
During our 2022 holiday campaign (and to date), Find Your David has raised over $130,000. Last holiday season we were able to provide $750 gift cards to over 80 families, help make someone’s home handicap accessible, assist two families with travel costs as part clinical trial participation, support JB’s Keys to DMD and their Bruins and Adaptive ski programs, as well as send some newly diagnosed families to the annual Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy (PPMD) conference. This would not have been possible without the help of our friends, family and complete strangers who saw us on the news!
For the 2023 holiday campaign, we hope to continue to provide the above while also adding some new initiatives.
As many of you know, JB Harvey unexpectedly passed away in August of 2023 from an acute cardiac event. Without JB, there would not be a JB’s Keys to DMD and we would not have had a home for Find Your David.
Cardiac research in DMD is substantially underfunded and misunderstood. As part of one of our new goals for this year, we hope to be able to raise funds to provide grants towards these efforts.
If you are able, a donation of any size will make a real difference.
Your donations will go towards funding the following initiatives:
Financial assistance for families living with Duchenne to purchase gifts.
Allow families with DMD to attend a Bruins game in ADA accessible seats
A weekend stay for families living with Duchenne at Loon Mountain, including two days of adaptive skiing and lift tickets for family members
Fundraising towards cardiac research in DMD
“Sometimes God will put a Goliath in your life, for you to find the David in you.”
With love and hope,
- The Barrick Family
For more information about DMD, click here.
