A YOUNG Greenock boy is suffering from a life-limiting genetic disorder that his distraught family described today as ‘devastating’.

Nine-year-old Mackenzie Dick of Brown Street has incurable Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), a serious muscle wasting disease that gets worse as he grows older.

His mum and dad, Dawn and Graham Dick, said the bottom was knocked out of their world when their son was diagnosed with the illness.

Fighting back tears, they spoke about how the disease affects mainly boys, starts in childhood, and may be noticed when a child has problems standing up, climbing or running.

It results in worsening loss of strength around the hips and the shoulders and can also cause breathing or heart problems for older teenagers or people in their 20s.

Dawn, 36, said they first noticed signs six years ago that Mackenzie was not always walking or running properly.

She said: “We took him to Inverclyde Royal, where they did blood tests and referred us to Yorkhill Hospital, who diagnosed the disease.

“They told us there was no cure and that we should take him home and enjoy him.” Graham, 36, added: “We knew nothing about Duchenne. We were absolutely devastated.

“We were told he would be in a wheelchair between the ages of eight and 11, totally paralysed by 15 or 16 and had a life expectancy into his early 20s.” Around 2,500 people in the UK suffer from DMD, the most common fatal genetic disorder diagnosed in childhood.

Some sufferers live until their 40s.

Duchenne results in progressive loss of strength and is caused by a mutation in the gene that produces a substance called dystrophin.

Because dystrophin is absent, muscle cells are easily damaged. Mackenzie’s condition has worsened in recent months and he had a fall recently and suffered spinal fractures.

He uses an ordinary wheelchair when he needs it at the moment, but he may soon need a special electric wheelchair that includes equipment to help him breathe.

The steroids he takes to help his condition can cause side effects such as thinning of the bones but his parents are amazed at the courage their wee boy shows.

Graham, who is currently unemployed and a former car mechanic, said: “He’s a wee battler. He gets frustrated sometimes, but he doesn’t really complain.” The All Saints Primary pupil enjoys using computers and is getting on well at school, where his parents said they had received great support from the staff.

Mackenzie and his wee brother, Aaron, six, are the best of pals.

Graham said: “Sometimes they have their moments, like any brothers, but they don’t like to be apart.” The family and their friends have collected around £14,000 for Action Duchenne, a charity attempting to find a cure for the disease.

They are now fundraising for the special equipment Mackenzie will need, as well as continuing to help the charity.

An estimated £17,500 will be needed for the special wheelchair as well as ceiling tracks to move Mackenzie on a hoist — and the family will need to move home because their current house could not be adapted.

Dawn, who gave up her job as a hair stylist to care for Mackenzie, said: “There has been more progress in research over the last five years than in the previous 40.

“We live in hope that there will be a cure, but it could be years away, so we have to plan ahead.” Dawn and Graham say they are grateful to Jim Kincaid and the Dockers Club darts team for recently donating £500 to Action Duchenne.

Dawn said: “Crawfurdsburn Community Centre also wanted to help and held a bingo night where they raised £775, and that will be the first funds going towards getting Mackenzie an electric wheelchair.

“We’d like to say special thanks to Rodger, Josie, May, Gina, Margaret and Susan, who made the night such a success.” A further charity night is being held in the Larkfield Masonic Club at 7.30pm on Friday 10 October.

Tickets are available by calling Graham on 07508 033095 or by going to the ‘Standing Up to Duchenne — Mackenzie’s Fund’ Facebook page.