CureDuchenne, a Newport Beach, Calif-headquartered nonprofit dedicated to finding a cure for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, announces the launch of the CureDuchenne Cares Physical Therapist Certification Program.

According to a media release from CureDuchenne, the CureDechenne Cares certification program is set to begin in 2016 and will train physical therapists on the most current standards of care for Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

The continuing education program, which will be directed by Jennifer Wallace, PT—who, according to the release, has expertise in Duchenne physical therapy—will include ongoing training and testing.

Physical therapists who complete the training will be known as a qualified CureDuchenne Cares Certified Physical Therapists, and will have the expertise and network to refer patients to primary and allied healthcare professionals, the release continues.

The certification program’s advisor, Brenda Wong, MD, MBBS, notes in the release that it is critical to have physical therapists in the community trained to provide physical therapy for Duchenne patients.

“Daily physical therapy is crucial for those with Duchenne to help maintain function and quality of life. We need to keep those with Duchenne as healthy as possible so they can participate in clinical trials and benefit from pharmaceutical treatments when they become available,” adds Wong, also director of the Comprehensive Neuromuscular Center at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center and professor of pediatrics and Neurology at the University of Cincinnati.

The release explains that Duchenne muscular dystrophy is an inherited genetic disease with no cure and no treatment, with an expected life expectancy of around the mid-20s. The disease causes progressive muscle degeneration, leaving patients wheelchair bound by their mid-teens.

“CureDuchenne Cares Certification Program is a seal of approval giving Duchenne families confidence that those physical therapists who have completed the program are qualified providers and have the knowledge and expertise to treat their children,” said Debra Miller, founder and CEO of CureDuchenne, in the release.

For more information, visit CureDuchenne and CureDechenne Cares.

[Source(s): CureDuchenne, BusinessWire]