Biomedicine Student Society Fundraises $20,000 for muscular dystrophy

The University of Melbourne’s Biomedicine Students’ Society has raised $20,000 for Muscular Dystrophy Australia (MDA), a national organisation that provides support and services to people living with neuromuscular genetic disorders.

^{Members of the Biomedicine Students' Society present Muscular Dystrophy Australia's Boris Struk with a cheque for $20,000.}

The society fundraised through sponsorship agreements and social events including the annual Biomedicine Students’ Society Charity Ball, which had 1100 students in attendance. The society also raised awareness of muscular dystrophy by producing a video featuring MDA Executive Director Boris Struk and Paediatric Neurologist Dr Eppie Yu from the Royal Children’s Hospital.

Society members presented a cheque to Mr Struk, who founded the organisation 30 years ago when his youngest son Ryan was diagnosed with the muscle destroying disorder. In this time, MDA has raised more than $43 million in funding for muscular dystrophy, provided in excess of one million hours of support to people with the disorder and funded research programs at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute and the Royal Children’s Hospital.  

Muscular dystrophy is a group of more than 30 familial disorders that cause degeneration of skeletal muscle fibres. This leads to progressive and irreversible weakness and wasting of the muscles. Affecting approximately one in 3500 live male births worldwide, muscular dystrophy is one of the most common and rapidly progressive childhood neuromuscular disorders. Currently, there is no cure; however, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, walking aids, exercise and speech therapy can assist with managing the disorder.

For more information, visit www.mda.org.au