Pat Furlong is the founding president and CEO of Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy (PPMD), the largest nonprofit organization in the United States solely focused on Duchenne muscular dystrophy (Duchenne). Their mission is to end Duchenne. They accelerate research, raise their voices in Washington, demand optimal care for all young men, and educate the global community. When doctors diagnosed her two sons, Christopher and Patrick, with Duchenne in 1984, Furlong didn’t accept “there’s no hope and little help” as an answer. She founded PPMD in 1984 and immersed herself in Duchenne, working to understand the pathology of the disorder, the extent of research investment, and the mechanisms for optimal care. Today, Furlong is considered one of the foremost authorities on Duchenne in the world.