Happy Christmas from Muscular Dystrophy Ireland: A Message of Reflection, Gratitude, and Hope This Christmas
As we approach the Christmas season, we are mindful of those in our community who are remembering loved ones who have passed and for whom this time of year can bring many mixed emotions. We extend our sympathy and hope the season goes gently for you. Please remember that Muscular Dystrophy Ireland (MDI) is here for you should you wish to avail of support.
As the first year of our new three-year strategic plan 2026-2028 begins and last year of our three-year strategic plan closes, it is encouraging to see our ambitions translating into real and positive impact for members of the MDI community. Our focus remains on achieving excellence in outcomes and service delivery, increasing access and reach, developing a strong national advocacy agenda, and progressing work towards a neuromuscular condition registry in Ireland.
Throughout the year, we have continued to expand and strengthen supports through our Youth Service and Family Support Programmes, with a strong emphasis on peer connection. This has included facilitated online adult peer support groups, courses exploring experiences of loss, condition-specific community gatherings, National Conference and much more, all of which have been deeply valued by our members.
Watch our 2025 highlights slideshow from the National Conference 2025, showcasing the key moments, achievements, and impact from the year.
In terms of access and reach, our Clinic Liaison Programme has continued to link families attending neuromuscular clinics with MDI supports, while our national Information and Advocacy Support Line has further improved accessibility. We were also delighted to continue supporting access to further education through the Dr John Roche Education Bursary.
This year marked major progress in our research work: we received a Research Ireland Enterprise Partnership Award for our first PhD partnership of this kind with Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI), and, with support from the Irish Research Council, we completed a collaborative project with UCD that produced an important report on the psychosocial needs of adults living with muscular dystrophy and related neuromuscular conditions.
Our advocacy work has been strengthened through the establishment of an Advocacy Committee and continued collaboration with partner organisations. In 2025, this collective effort delivered significant progress through the #SMATreatmentsForAll campaign, including a high-profile briefing in Leinster House where Muscular Dystrophy Ireland and SMA Ireland issued an urgent call to end the arbitrary age restriction imposed by the Health Service Executive that prevents approximately 20 adults from accessing life-saving SMA treatments.
We are deeply grateful to our fundraisers, supporters, staff, volunteers, board members, partners, and funders whose commitment enables our work. As we close out 2025, thank you for your continued connection with Muscular Dystrophy Ireland.
Beannachtaí an tséasúir oraibh go léir.
As we reflect on 2025, we would like to thank all of our members, sponsors, funders and volunteers for all their support this year.The impact of your support allowed us to provide essential services. We wish you all a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year. In 2026, we look forward to working together to continue to provide essential services and supports to our members, allowing them to reach their potential and participate fully in society.