Meet Conner
The Diagnosis
The Duchenne diagnosis shattered the Currans and brought them to their knees. As parents, they would have traded places with Conner in a heartbeat to save him from the pain that would certainly come if no cure is found. Any thoughts of a typical childhood for Conner vanished. There would be no soccer, no basketball, no baseball, no lacrosse... but really, the sports mean nothing. Walking at the age of 12 means something.
Living With Duchenne
Somehow Chris and Jess found the inner strength to take action. They decided that they must do absolutely everything in their power to advocate for Conner and to help raise funds to change the course of this disease for all of the children affected.
Look at this face with the giant smile. Conner has the kind of smile that lights up any room and brings joy to everyone he meets. Beneath this beaming smile is an immensely brave boy who is quite literally in a fight for his life.
Conner has Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (Duchenne), a rare and fatal genetic disorder affecting all muscles of the body. This terrible disorder makes muscles so weak that it takes away the ability of a child to walk, to hug, to hold hands, and eventually even robs them of their smile.
Conner’s giant smile has been the constant from the time he was born. Whether playing with his brothers, exploring the world, or even more recently, through clinical trials, MRIs and constant poking and prodding…always that smile. When his friends or brothers run around outside and he needs to watch and wait, still that smile. As Conner’s mother Jess explains it, “I will always carry him, always fight for him and take care of him, but I cannot smile for him.”
