Defeat Duchenne Canada
Rare but Real: 1/5000
Help change their future.
We're Stronger Together
$18.6M invested in 63 groundbreaking Duchenne studies
30 Years of Progress
We Won't Stop Until a Cure is Found
About
Defeat Duchenne Canada is the nation’s only charity solely dedicated to ending Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
We are more than an organization, we are a family of families and include researchers, and care providers, united against Duchenne. Through this collective strength, we address every aspect of the diagnosis. On one hand, we confront the emotional and social challenges families face each day. On the other, we drive forward advancements in research and treatment that bring hope for tomorrow.
Our vision is a future without Duchenne. While the dream of a cure may seem ambitious, the boys and young men living with Duchenne remind us that the effort is not only worthwhile but essential.
By joining us, you are helping to change lives. Your belief in a future without Duchenne fuels progress, strengthens families, and brings us closer to the day when this disease is defeated once and for all.
Thank you for helping to defeat Duchenne.
Our Impact
When Defeat Duchenne Canada began in 1995 as Jesse’s Journey, there were no clinical trials and no approved treatments. Since then, thanks to donors, $18.6 million has fueled 63 groundbreaking research projects worldwide.
Because of this support, scientists proved the Duchenne gene can be repaired. In addition, they uncovered a vital sequence in the dystrophin gene that helps muscles function—a breakthrough described as finding ‘a needle in a haystack.’ Furthermore, they discovered Duchenne is a stem cell disease, which opened the door to new drug targets.
As a result, the average life expectancy for children living with Duchenne has risen from the late teens to nearly 30 years of age. Even more importantly, families now have hope where once there was none.
Thanks to you, leading scientists continue to make progress that families urgently need. With your ongoing support, we can build on these advances.
Together, we will defeat Duchenne.
How your gift will be used
Leave a legacy by including Defeat Duchenne Canada in your Will and fuel hope for a future without Duchenne.
No matter your budget, your support fuels life‑changing research and vital programs. Families gain education, connection, and critical support. Your generosity reminds them they are not alone. Together, we bring meaning and dignity to lives shaped by uncertainty.
Thank you for selflessly supporting boys and young men living with Duchenne. Because of you, there is hope for cure and hope for a future without Duchenne.
Legal Name
The Jesse Davidson Foundation
Charity Number
89509-7756-RR0001
