Novel gene therapy offers beacon of hope for Karson

Karson’s sixth birthday was just around the corner when he asked for a simple wish: chocolate in every form imaginable. At the Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters (CHKD), Karson had been battling Duchenne muscular dystrophy since he was diagnosed at just 20 months old. Thankfully, a new novel gene therapy had just become available and held the promise of generating vital muscle proteins crucial for Duchenne patients like Karson. Days before Karson’s sixth birthday, the medication was transported overnight from Chicago, prepared, and administered. As he proudly demonstrated his strengthened limbs post-treatment, his family felt joy and relief, and most importantly for Karson, his care team brought him all his favorite chocolate treats for his birthday. Thanks to care from his children’s hospital, Karson and his family are now embracing more milestones, more cherished moments, and, of course, more chocolate.