Whoever You Are, I Will Help

What would you do if someone told you that all three of your children have a rare and sometimes fatal genetic disorder and that they will be confined to wheelchairs for the rest of their lives? We are the Zubairs and we refuse to accept that life sentence for our children. We need you help. Support us in finding the best treatment for our children. Please visit our website: www.miracleforthree.com

Mr and Mrs Shahid Zubair
576 L Block JOhar Town Lahore
Pakistan
00923008424479

DEATILS
We are Shahid and Saher Tabassam Zubair, residents of Lahore, Pakistan and parents to three amazing children––Nida, 14; Ahmad, 12; and our youngest Eman, 7. Once we too were a happy, content family like most are. Yes, we were not rich but we had good health and love and that was enough, until Muscular Dystrophy (MD) afflicted our three children and took our joy away from us.

MD is a rare genetic disorder that is severely disabling, and sometimes life threatening. Our children were perfectly healthy and bright until they got this disease which causes severe muscular wasting. It has left the two older children––Nida and Ahmad paralyzed from waist down with the youngest headed in the same direction. The smallest of task, even moving, has become a challenge for these once active and energetic kids.
Searching for Help

Muscular Dystrophy (MD) has many variations and having an accurate diagnosis is key to managing the disease. (Learn more about types of MD). We have been frustrated with the lack of resources at our disposal.

While the doctors in Pakistan are convinced that the children have Duchenne muscular dystrophy, the Singapore National Health Sciences Hospital diagnosed them as suffering from “some problem similar to Limb girdle muscular dystrophy.” We need a complete and thorough examination of the children to get an accurate diagnosis so that a course of treatment and management can be planned accordingly. The prognosis for Duchenne muscular dystrophy is not good. Affected males with this progressive muscular disease become wheelchair bound before 13 years of age, are ventilator dependent in their late teens to early 20s due to respiratory failure, with death in their late 20s to 30s due to cardiac or pulmonary problems. We refuse to accept that death sentence for our children.

In Pakistan, we have been unable to find proper diagnosis, cure, or treatment for our children. For instance, the diagnostic facility in Pakistan only offers CPK blood test, while CPK MB AND CPK BB are more accurate to classify the nature of NMD. Unfortunately, no lab in Pakistan has this facility. We know that at present time, proper management is the best treatment that is offered for NMD that has no known cure. Unfortunately, we don’t even have access to that.
Looking Ahead

The latest research ongoing in U.K. and U.S.A offers a more thorough diagnosis and trials are underway for treatment and cure. Before a treatment/management plan can be designed for our children, genetic and molecular study to classify the exact type of Muscular Dystrophy needs to be done in U.K. and U.S. We are also interested in participating inresearch studies that are underway there. We cannot take no for an answer when our children’s lives are at stake. We would like to take advantage of the ongoing experimental trials that are proving to improve the quality of life of children like ours through proper management and medical treatment.

The Singapore National Health Sciences Hospital advised us to get molecular genetics testing done from U.K. or U.S. since the children could benefit from latest research studies being conducted there. Learn more about the latest research on MD.
Financial Hardship

We are a one-income family living in a rental apartment. As such our means are very limited. Our requests to various authorities in Pakistan for financial assistance to take the children abroad for proper diagnosis have not been answered. We also do not receive any medical or financial assistance to take care of the day-to-day treatment and care of the children.

We are hoping to take our children to U.S. or U.K. to get a detailed genetic consultation, physiotherapy assessment, and to have them participate in Exon skipping plan based on results of biopsy for genes molecular diagnosis and its management. We are also looking into getting Scoliosis surgery for Nida which is very costly (between £100,000-£120,000). We will have to cover their airfare as well as boarding and lodging. Nida’s surgery

www.miracleforthree.com

Sincerely

Shahid and Saher Tabassam Zubair