Michael Dickerson (42) from Hoedspruit Limpopo was participating in a trail running series when he met Daniël Otto (6), a boy suffering from Congenital Muscular Dystrophy (CMD).
What is Congenital Muscular Dystrophy?
Congenital Muscular Dystrophy is a group of muscle diseases that occur at birth or during early infancy and is characterized by diminished muscle tone. With progressive muscle weakness, a common symptom of Congenital Muscular Dystrophy, Daniel has lost the ability to walk and stand on his own, says Marina Otto (39), Daniel’s mom.
“It is impossible for Daniel to sit upright by himself, he is also unable to climb, crawl, walk, run or jump like regular kids and all he wants is to be just like them. But despite his many challenges he still has a playful spirit and is a really smart young man” says Marina
When Michael met Daniel, he was inspired by his positivity and bravery
Learning about his condition and the pressure his family is under to cover his extensive medical costs, Michael wanted to help the family. Their medical aid doesn;t cover Daniël’s specialised treatments.
Hoping to raise R161,000, Michael set up a campaign on donations based crowdfunding platform, BackaBuddy. He pledged to participate in the Karkloof 100, a 161 km run taking place on the 21st of September 2018 in KwaZulu-Natal.
The ‘non-stop’ trail run is the ultimate test of human endurance. Participants have only 36 hours to complete the course. Last year only 25 out of 46 participants managed to complete the course successfully.
Michael decided to take on this race in honor of Daniël. He did this because Daniël doesn’t have the ability or privilege to run and to enjoy the freedom he deserves. The Karkloof 100 is symbolic of the struggles he has faced in his short life and the perseverance he shows on a daily basis. He hopes to be as brave as him one day.
More about Daniël’s Backabuddy campaign
The campaign went live on the 23rd of July 2018. To date R 16,550.57 has been raised from 21 donor contributions. The funds will be used to enhance Daniel’s quality of life and to purchase specialized equipment.
Michael can’t imagine what this family is going through. The pressure they must feel as their medical bills become astronomically more expensive. Michael hopes that the public will support his BackaBuddy campaign for this tenacious young man. He will be carrying Daniel’s photo with him for courage as he takes on the Karkloof 100. Here’s your chance to help Daniël…
Daniël still has a chance of a ‘normal’ life and lifespan and depending on increased mobility. Doctors might be able to elongate his tendons in an attempt to get him walking again. You can support Daniël by donating to his BackaBuddy campaign HERE.
Watch this space for updates in the General News category on Running Wolf’s Rant.
