How Can I Help?

There is actually a great deal you can do to make everyday life and the future better for Måns and other boys with Duchennes Muscular Dystrophy.

Although there is not much research into Duchennes ongoing in Sweden, there is a lot going on around the world which will also benefit boys in Sweden. Because there is no cure, this research is of course of great importance.

Today there are clinical trials on boys underway in Holland, but a cure is still a long way away. Because researchers use highly advanced computer simulations in their work, they need help with their calculations. Today there is no computer in the world with the capacity to handle these calculations within the foreseeable future. But you can lend them a part of your computer’s capacity to help speed up their calculations. And of course the more people who join in, the faster a result will be reached. There is a worldwide community based in the US with different projects, of which Muscular Dystrophy is one. You can register (free of charge) at Worldcommunitygrid. A special team – “Mans Sweden2007” has been created to try to keep the participants together and get an overview of where the team is compared with other participants around the world. Phase 1 is finished and a considerably more wide-ranging project, Phase 2, will start at the end of 2007. Join up and help out with the other projects that are underway.

The Swedish Foundation for Muscular Dystrophy Research SMDF is a foundation which keeps track of what is happening on the research front, what projects are underway and which areas should be targeted right now. This is a good website with a lot of information and facts. SMDF welcomes contributions.

Måns is going to need a lot of help and support in the future. Children who suffer from congenital illnesses cannot get financial security through insurance; an unbelievable slap in the face which is hard to understand. To be able to give Måns the best possible life it is important that he is able to experience things and have an outlet for his interests (whatever they are going to be), that he can go to camps and take part in activities with other boys in the same situation and so on.

For those who want to help, you can give Måns a more tolerable life in the future by donating money to Plusgiro 114 89 52 – 3. The money will be administrated in a fund.

Stockholm Marathon 2008
Our good friend David Wiles has started a campaign to raise money for Måns and SMDF. He will run the Stockholm Marathon (May 31, 2008) and has signed a sponsorship deal with Scandic International. They will donate 5,000 kronor to Måns’ fund and a further 1,000 kronor for each further person who runs the marathon in a T-shirt with their logo on, up to a total of five people. Because we hope to be more than 10 people running to raise money for Måns, it would be good if other companies would like to contribute in the same way.

The organisers of Stockholm Marathon have kindly waived David’s entrance fee as their contribution to the effort. Soon we will be making some sort of sponsor’s webpage with information about the participants, the race, sponsors and so on. Feel free to get in touch!

We can’t emphasise enough the importance of the old expression “every little helps”.

Many, many thanks to those of you who have already made a contribution to the fund. A big thank you also to those of you who have bought Jonas’ record and Grandma’s handmade garden gnomes. You have all contributed to making Måns’ life as meaningful as possible.