Quade's journey with DMD started...
It’s 15 January 2014, I am finally born in excellent health. I start growing up in two loving homes with all of my siblings. At around 18 months of age, my parents start to notice that I’m not reaching my milestones as I should, and proceed to take me to numerous doctors over a period of 5 years… All with different medical opinions but no conclusive diagnosis. And I’m thinking, like I am 2 years old what are these people doing?
While symptoms continually increase they start to notice oddities with the way I get up, the way I walk, my inability to run, my fear of being lifted off the ground and spun around… But still no answers. Thanks to a medical drama called “New Amsterdam”- Season 2 Episode 18 – it was discovered, that I resembled all the symptoms of the diagnosis of DMD.
By this time, the family does not give up hope even though they start running out of answers and begin to accept that Quade is different.
My parents immediately found a paediatric neurologist and raised their concerns, with the correct medical diagnosis in mind. Soon on the 7th Of July 2021 my diagnosis was confirmed – I indeed have DMD.
My parents searched far and wide for boys like me and soon they started talking about “My Legacy”, and this is how Quade Journey with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (QJDMD), a registered NPO in South Africa started.
I am hopeful for the future, I know that there will be a lot of struggles, but with every struggle I will share my journey. I will keep on fighting and pave the way for all of my friends that are JUST LIKE ME.
