Over Labor Day, just as you're going back to school, you might
see the Muscular Dystrophy Association telethon on TV. Every
year on this show, Jerry Lewis and others raise money for
research and treatment of muscular dystrophy (MD). You might
wonder "What's this show about and what is muscular dystrophy?"
Or maybe you know someone who has MD. What Is Muscular
Dystrophy? Muscular dystrophy (say: mus-kyoo-lur dis-troh-fee)
is a disease in which the muscles of the body get weaker and
weaker and slowly stop working. Muscles and membranes need many
different kinds of proteins to stay healthy. When you hear the
word "protein" you might think of food because foods, such as
meat and peanut butter, contain protein. But we're talking about
another kind of protein — the kind your body actually creates.
Your genes tell your body how to make the proteins your muscles
need. But in people with MD, these genes have wrong information
or leave out important information, so the body can't make these
proteins properly. Without t