[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 90 (Wednesday, June 22, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1158]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                AWARENESS OF DUCHENNE MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JON RUNYAN

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 22, 2011

  Mr. RUNYAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to raise awareness about 
Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
  Duchenne is a progressive muscle disorder for which there is no cure 
and affects boys disproportionately. According to Parent Project 
Muscular Dystrophy, the disease affects approximately 1 in 3,500 live 
male births. Conditions of the disease include deterioration of the 
muscle tissue, abnormal bone development, paralysis and eventually 
death.
  Earlier this year, my office was contacted by several families from 
my district whose young sons are living with Duchenne.
  Duchenne takes lives too quickly, but due in large part to research 
developments, there are signs of hope.
  Over the last five years, Congress has appropriated $157 million to 
the National Institutes of Health for Duchenne efforts. In 2010, the 
NIH awarded three grants specifically to New Jersey institutions 
totaling $874,000.
  Two of the grants were awarded to the University of Medicine and 
Dentistry of New Jersey, to explore treatments for congenital diseases, 
and the third went to TRIM-Edicine, for research of protein therapies 
for muscular dystrophy.
  I hope these and other innovations bring us closer to finding the 
answers that we need to help and even cure Duchenne MD.

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