World Duchenne Awareness Day – A Day to Remember

On 7 September, we celebrated World Duchenne Awareness Day, and it was a day I know I will never forget.

We started the morning at the Two Oceans Aquarium, where the excitement began the moment the 12 boys from Astra Special School walked through the doors. Their faces lit up when they saw the penguins, they were completely mesmerised by the sharks, and there were endless smiles, laughter and pointing as they watched everything swimming past the glass.

Watching their pure joy was a beautiful reminder of how much these moments matter.

After exploring the aquarium, we organised a picnic outside at Battery Park, giving the boys time to relax, chat, enjoy the sunshine and simply spend time together. We also brought along some teddies for each of them — and they quickly became very special companions. The boys loved them so much that they didn’t want to leave without them, holding onto their new friends tightly.

It was, in many ways, a simple day — an aquarium visit, a picnic and a few teddies. But it was filled with so much laughter, love and happiness.

Most importantly, it was a powerful reminder of why raising awareness for Duchenne matters. Behind every diagnosis is a child with dreams, a family with hopes, and a life that deserves to be filled with opportunity, joy and unforgettable moments.

That is what days like this are really about — creating memories, celebrating these incredible young boys, and making sure they are seen, heard and never forgotten.