Cure Rare Disease, in partnership with Charles River Laboratories, has successfully created 3 mouse models that harbor the humanized form of the dystrophin gene. Each model has a mutation that causes Duchenne muscular dystrophy that CRD is currently working to treat, meaning they can be utilized for critical in vivo studies to test the safety and efficacy of mutation-specific gene editing therapeutics. The success of this project paves the way for future therapeutics to be developed to treat rare and ultra-rare genetic disorders.

In the media, people with disabilities often aren’t featured as main characters, if they are included at all, so we wanted to share some kid-friendly shows and movies to help teach kids about acceptance and inclusion. Representation in movies and TV shows is important because it shows people, especially younger kids, that not everyone will look or act the same way and that it is important to be accepting no matter what. 

We’re all familiar with what the news is saying about COVID and its effect, but how does it really affect rare disease patients and their families? We asked Jess Curran and Karen Morales to share the experiences they had when COVID made its way to their families.

Elijah Stacy is the founder of the 501(c)(3) nonprofit Destroy Duchenne, which he started at the age of fifteen. He is determined to advance gene editing and gene therapy to save his life, his brother’s life, and the lives of thousands of people around the globe who have been diagnosed with Duchenne.