Residents from across the province will travel to Regina on Saturday, Sept. 17, to make muscles move in an effort to fight against muscular dystrophy during the annual Regina Safeway Walk for Muscular Dystrophy.
The fundraising walk will be supporting thousands of children, teens and adults who face the daily challenges of living with a neuromuscular disorder in Canada.
This year’s Ambassador for the Walk for Muscular Dystrophy is Jaycee, a 15-year-old youth who loves to sing, draw, play video games and Lego.
Jaycee was born with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. As it sits today, without a cure children like Jaycee have a future that is uncertain and changes daily. Life becomes hard, independence is taken away from these children, when breathing, hugging, walking, and talking all gets taken away from them.
Most boys diagnosed with Duchenne don’t reach the age of 30. It is 100 per cent terminal with no treatment available. Jaycee was diagnosed November 2005 at the age of five. He had struggles with learning to walk and he was never able to jump until he was placed on medication that slowed the progression and for a short period improved some of his abilities.
Over the years a lot has changed for Jaycee. He continued to walk until he was 13, then transitioned into his wheelchair. In the past two years Jaycee has gone from using his wheelchair part time, to it becoming a part of his daily life. Jaycee’s biggest challenge is not being able to do all the things he used to be able to do.
Muscular dystrophy refers to a group of progressive muscle disorders that weaken the muscles that control body movement. These disorders can have devastating effects, resulting in the loss of most abilities we take for granted. Over time, many people with neuromuscular disorders are unable to walk, speak or ultimately breathe. For some, the disorder is fatal.
The Walk for Muscular Dystrophy is an opportunity for the community to come together and support those affected by neuromuscular disorders at the local level.
This fun, family-friendly, fully accessible event will include activities for children and adults, a prize raffle, food, and a visit from local fire fighters. Word is that a few super heroes have added the event to the calendar as well.
The fun will be taking place on Saturday, Sept. 17 at Rick Hanson Park in Regina. Participant registration begins at 1 p.m. and the walk, wheel and roll will begin at 2 p.m.
