Subscribe today for more stories, tips, and updates.

Cincinnati Children's Blog
  • Subscribe
  • CincinnatiChildrens.org
  • Contact Us
  • Blog
  • Healthy Living
  • Rare and Complex Conditions
  • Safety and Prevention
  • Heart Conditions
  • Learning and Growing
  • Research and Discoveries
  • ?
  • Blog
  • Healthy Living
  • Rare and Complex Conditions
  • Safety and Prevention
  • Heart Conditions
  • Learning and Growing
  • Research and Discoveries
  • ?
  • Subscribe
  • CincinnatiChildrens.org
  • Contact Us
HOME/Research and Discoveries/Patient’s mom hopes research will lead to cure for Duchenne muscular dystrophy

Patient’s mom hopes research will lead to cure for Duchenne muscular dystrophy

 

June 27, 2012
0 Comments
By: Tanya Leach

Erica “Ric” Muskopf says she hopes research will someday change the outcome for patients like her son, Brody.

Watch Erica “Ric” Muskopf talk about her hopes for a cure for Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

Brody was born with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a disease that attacks his muscles. Without a cure, it will eventually destroy his heart and lungs.

The genetic disease affects about 1 in 3,500 boys. It is one of the most common forms of muscular dystrophy. A defective gene causes muscles to produce abnormally low levels of a protein called dystrophin, and weakness of the heart, called cardiomyopathy, happens by the time patients are 18. Patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy typically need wheelchairs to get around by the time they are teenagers, and their life expectancy depends on how aggressively the muscle weakness progresses. Treatment, such as physical therapy, focuses on improving their quality of life.

Researchers at Cincinnati Children’s are working on ways to improve treatment and prolong life for boys who suffer from it. Scientists have begun a clinical trial to find out whether earlier treatment could stop or slow down heart damage associated with the disease. Research suggests an anti-fibrosis drug long used to treat heart attack victims could help these patients.

While Brody is not part of this clinical trial, his mom says she hopes research helps lead to a cure. In the meantime, she says, she’s thankful for each day she spends with Brody.

Subscribe today for more stories, tips, and updates.

Related Articles

Former CICU Nurse Gives Back After Son’s Sudden Cardiac Arrest
Former CICU Nurse Gives Back After Son’s Sudden Cardiac Arrest
My Child Has High Blood Pressure, Now What?
My Child Has High Blood Pressure, Now What?
Family Finds Heart Care Needed for Complex Condition
Family Finds Heart Care Needed for Complex Condition
Fit Hearts Program Trains Cardiac Patients for Progressive Marathon
Fit Hearts Program Trains Cardiac Patients for Progressive Marathon
TAGS:
  • Heart Institute
Avatar photo

About the author: Tanya Leach

Tanya Bricking Leach is a writer and video producer at Cincinnati Children's and a former newspaper reporter who has covered crime for The Cincinnati Enquirer, sports for USA Today, island life for The Honolulu Advertiser, food for The Associated Press and stories about storms and surfers for the New York Times. Tanya is the author of the military-themed travel guide "Hawaii for Heroes." She is married to a military veteran and is the mother of two young boys. When she's not wired in at work, she enjoys unplugging with her family on their sailboat.

Write A Comment

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

No Comments Yet

Topics

  • Cancer and Blood Diseases
  • Child Development and Behavior
  • Childhood Obesity
  • Chronic Care Networks
  • Cincinnati Walks for Kids
  • Featured Faces
  • Fetal Conditions
  • Fitness and Nutrition
  • Food Allergies
  • Ghana 2012
  • Health Care Public Policy
  • Health Care Quality
  • Health Care Reform
  • Healthy Living
  • Heart Conditions
  • Hospital Operations
  • How We Do It
  • Learning and Growing
  • Meet The Team
  • Nurses Week 2012
  • Patient Family Experience
  • Patient Flow
  • Patient Safety
  • Patient Stories
  • Pin of the Week
  • Radiology
  • Rare and Complex Conditions
  • Research
  • Research and Discoveries
  • Safety and Prevention
  • Share Your Story
  • Technology
  • Uncategorized
  • Vaccines
  • Volunteerism
  • What Makes Us Different
  • What's New
See All Topics
See Less Topics

Subscribe

Never miss a post! Sign up to get new blog updates delivered to your email.

Popular Posts

  • 6 Questions to Ask When Your Child Complains of Chest Pain 2k views
  • Caring for the Caregivers of Children with Congenital Heart Disease  1.2k views
  • Stuttering In Young Kids: When To Be Concerned 897 views
  • 4 Questions to Ask When Your Child Has Recurrent Croup 815 views
  • Laryngomalacia: Is My Child’s Noisy Breathing Serious? 666 views
  • Is it safe for my child with braces to have an MRI? 515 views
About

The Cincinnati Children’s blog features thoughts and perspectives from our experts on all things pediatric health. This blog does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Learn More »

Contact Us
  • 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio 45229-3026
  • 1-513-636-4200 | 1-800-344-2462
  • TTY: 1-513-636-4900
  • socialmedia@cchmc.org
Connect With Us
  • Subscribe
  • CincinnatiChildrens.org
  • Contact Us

© 2009-2022 Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center