Jesse’s Journey is celebrating its 20th year of raising money for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy research. The organization had it’s start through the work of John Davidson honouring his son Jesse who was diagnosed with Duchenne. Jesse’s Journey has now raised over $10 million for research projects across the world and is the only Canadian charity focused solely on Duchenne research.
An event was held this week where Director and Chair Jeff Preston made the announcement regarding their achievements.
Jesse’s Journey founder, John Davidson, continues to fund research in honour of Jesse. “Jesse always believed that when researchers work together miracles happen,” says Davidson, “I think we are starting to see that.”
“We don’t have a cure yet and I suppose on the downside we don’t have a survivor yet either. We have a disease that we decided to tackle quite some time ago and Jesse and I knew that we were in it for the long haul, not just for Jesse, but for all those boys who are just like Jesse.”
@Jesses_Journey announces $1.15 million for Duchenne research pic.twitter.com/px2v2zjPS6
— Megan King (@MeganKingNews) November 21, 2018
Davidson believes Jesse’s Journey can obtain a more internationally known presence for the future and continues to work with research labs across many countries. Davidson remains hopeful for a cure stating, “it’s not that far over the horizon. We are starting to actually see the bits and pieces fall into place. With the tools we have today, both in communication and in the lab, getting people to work together is easier. They just have to have the will and determination, and I think that they have that.”
Davidson crossed Canada twice in an effort to raise money for Duchenne muscular Dystrophy and continues to support the importance of funding lab research. “I know that hope lies in research so the answer is to fund research. Science was not a strength for me in school, I knew very little about it, but I knew that if it doesn’t get funded then it does’t happen.”
Davidson continues, “I am very encouraged about where we are going in the next two decades, and hopefully we will have a cure before those two decades have gone by.”
WATCH: Jeff Preston announces Jesse’s Journey research grants
