Global nonprofit CureDuchenne is hosting a workshop at Little Rock Marriott on Aug. 6 featuring Kindann Fawcett, PhD, a nutritionist at Arkansas Children’s Hospital.
Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a genetic disorder characterized by progressive muscle degeneration and weakness due to the alterations of a protein that helps keep muscle cells intact. DMD affects 1 in 5,000 male births, and symptom onset usually occurs in early childhood.
The workshop will run from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and is held in partnership with the multidisciplinary neuromuscular clinic at Arkansas Children’s Hospital. The focus of the event is on improving the quality of life for individuals with Duchenne. Fawcett in particular is interested in the correlation between nutrition and rare diseases.
Fawcett has a particularly personal connection to this disease, as her own son Tyler was diagnosed with DMD in 2015 at just five years old. Since then, Fawcett and her husband Anthony have advocated for research and attempts to find a cure for the fatal disease.
Driven by her son’s diagnosis, Fawcett was able to build a strong support network through CureDuchenne, whose goal is finding and funding a cure for DMD. The nonprofit hosts events and provides resources and community for affected families.
Other ACH speakers at the event include Aravindhan Veerapandiyan, MD, Pediatric Neurologist; Tiffany Boyd, RN, BSN, CPN, Nurse Clinic Coordinator; Amit Agarwal, MD, Pulmonologist; Shipra Bansal, MD, Endocrinologist; Vikki Stefans, MD, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation; Seth Sorensen, PhD, Neuropsychologist; Wanda Mitchell, RN, Nurse Clinic Coordinator; and Melissa Hicks-Wittman, PT.
Find more information about the workshop here. More information about CureDuchenne can be found on the nonprofit’s website.
