Empowering Hope: Foodbuy has raised over £400,000 to support Charity Partner, Duchenne UK

26 May 2023

Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) is a progressive condition diagnosed in childhood, which causes all the muscles in the body to gradually weaken. There is currently no cure for DMD, but there is hope. Duchenne UK, Foodbuy’s charity partner, are at the forefront of advancing life-changing treatments and care for everyone affected by DMD, to give those diagnosed a better quality of life.

Since we became partners with Duchenne UK in 2017, we are incredibly proud to have raised over £400,000 to support their fierce fight against DMD. This extraordinary fundraising success has been a result of our colleagues carrying out many personally challenging, fun, and inspirational events, including Duchenne UK’s flagship event, the Duchenne Dash. With our ambitious goal to raise £500,000 for the charity, we are always looking for ways to raise significant funds to help those with DMD.

Emily Reuben, Co-Founder and CEO of Duchenne UK said:

“We are so grateful to Foodbuy for all their support over the past seven years. Not only do they provide our cyclists and support team with delicious and nutritious food and drink during the Duchenne Dash, but they have also been instrumental in introducing us to new supporters and helping us secure new departure venues. They are an integral part of our team and I’m not sure how we would do it without them.”

Pedalling for Progress: The Duchenne Dash

Duchenne UK’s flagship fundraising event, the Duchenne Dash, is a gruelling 300km, 24-hour bike ride from London to Paris. One hundred and sixty individuals took part this year, including an enthusiastic group of thirteen from Foodbuy, our biggest team so far. The team braved the rain and took part in the demanding yet worthwhile event, successfully raising an incredible amount of over £12,000 for Duchenne UK.

We are very fortunate to have some fantastic supply partners that supported the event providing nutritious food and drink, towels and more to keep the Dash going. Thank you to our colleagues at Compass Group France for organising cold beers for the cyclists in Paris. We would like to thank the following supporters for their generosity at the 2023 Duchenne Dash:

Karl Atkins, Managing Director of Foodbuy said:

“I am incredibly proud of our Foodbuy team who took part in the Duchenne Dash. The event requires an enormous amount of physical and mental determination. Everyone pulled together to come out on top for what is a fantastic cause that is very close to our hearts.”

From donations to transformations – where does the money go?

Let’s dig deeper into the amazing work of Duchenne UK and how our fundraising efforts have supported them.

Ground-breaking medical research

Most of the current treatments for DMD do not address the underlying cause: the body’s inability to produce dystrophin. Duchenne UK wants to better understand the causes of DMD so that they can stop the disease in its tracks. Therefore, money raised goes towards funding revolutionary treatments such as gene therapy to replace the missing dystrophin gene. Also, the charity recognises the urgent need to improve the quality of life for many people suffering from DMD. The money raised funds research into therapies and treatments to treat severe symptoms, allowing those diagnosed to live longer, more comfortable, and healthier lives.

Accelerating access to treatments

The charity is constantly working on multiple projects to increase the chances of treatments being tested at clinical trials, to then be approved and made available. This involves working with industry policymakers, whilst also funding doctors and nurses needed for the clinical trials.

Supporting DMD community

Duchenne UK supports those affected by their diagnosis and beyond, from assisting with day-to-day struggles to offering free education support. They also offer informative support through resources such as guides for living with DMD and supportive information days for parents.

Improving lives through technology – SMART Suit

The charity has a core focus on using innovation, collaboration, and technology to help those affected by DMD to create a better quality of life for themselves. The charity is currently working on an incredible project, developing the SMART suit. This wearable device aims to restore arm function, allowing those diagnosed to be able to do the important smaller things, which are really the big things, such as hugging their parents, feeding themselves and putting their hands up in class.

The work of Duchenne UK is incredibly inspirational. We are hugely proud to be partners with a charity whose amazing work changes the lives of many for the better every day.

To find out more about the incredible work of Duchenne UK, visit Our work | Duchenne UK

To discover more about how you can support Duchenne UK, visit Events and Challenges | Duchenne UK  

To hear more about our work for charity and partners, visit Partners | Foodbuy