Four-day conference will feature leading experts, inspirational speakers, and the latest care and treatment insights

Newport Beach, Calif., April 18, 2025 – CureDuchenne, a global non-profit committed to finding and funding a cure for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, announced its FUTURES National Conference will be held from May 22-25 in San Antonio, Texas. FUTURES is a four-day event focused on bringing education, connection and hope to the Duchenne and Becker community. The annual event will take place as a hybrid event, offering attendees a chance to participate both online and in-person, at the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa.

This year’s event theme is “Together We Thrive,” focusing on sharing knowledge, amplifying hope, and driving forward research, resources and connections that uplift every family touched by Duchenne. CureDuchenne experts and industry leaders in research, healthcare, and biotechnology will offer insightful and interactive presentations on a variety of relevant topics, including the latest research and therapies for individuals with Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophy.

Family support will be a focus of the conference, with sessions for newly diagnosed families, single parents, siblings, adults with Duchenne, and those affected by behavioural challenges. This year’s event will feature a series of sessions fully in Spanish, ensuring that families can access the latest in Duchenne care, research, and resources in their native language. Multilingual translation is also available for all sessions. The Exhibitor Showcase will offer opportunities for both in-person and virtual conference attendees to explore a variety of resources. The four-day conference also features social events for the whole family, including a backyard barbecue with animal interactions.

Robert and Trude Steen, parents of Mats Steen, will deliver the FUTURES National Conference keynote address. Mats lived with Duchenne muscular dystrophy and inspired the award-winning Netflix documentary The Remarkable Life of Ibelin, which premiered at Sundance in 2024. His story—and the film and campaign that followed—sparked global awareness of Duchenne. The Steens will share how Mats built a deep community through gaming, becoming a trusted friend and advisor to many, and how his digital life revealed a rich network of connections and meaning his family had never imagined.

“In a rapidly advancing Duchenne landscape, families need both access to expert information and opportunities for meaningful connection,” said Debra Miller, founder and CEO of CureDuchenne. “FUTURES brings together leading scientists, clinicians, and the Duchenne community to share the latest advancements, provide trusted guidance, and foster a sense of hope. It’s a space where families feel informed, supported, and empowered as we move closer to a cure.”

Prior to the public conference, CureDuchenne will convene scientific leaders, executives from pharmaceutical and biotech companies focused on developing therapies for Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophy, and regulatory leaders for the Meeting of the Minds, a private roundtable discussion on addressing the challenges and opportunities in bringing treatments to individuals who need them.

The event for families will start on Thursday, May 22 with a welcome reception for all attendees as well as meetups for newly diagnosed families, adults with Duchenne, and Spanish speaking families. Research sessions throughout the conference will highlight approved drugs as well as those in clinical trials, including gene therapy, exon-skipping and other RNA-targeted therapeutics, and muscle preservation and anti-inflammatory approaches. Educational sessions will include topics such as building success at school, navigating transition to adulthood, responding to emergencies, supportive care, physical therapy, and multidisciplinary care.

Throughout the weekend, CureDuchenne will offer complimentary on-site childcare by childcare professionals and activities for the whole family, including an e-gaming lounge. For registration information, full agenda and speaker list, please visit cureduchenne.org/futures.   

About CureDuchenne

Over twenty years ago, CureDuchenne was created with one goal: to find and fund a cure for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, one of the most common and severe forms of muscular dystrophy. Today, CureDuchenne is recognized as a global leader in research, patient care, and innovation for improving and extending the lives of those with Duchenne. CureDuchenne’s venture philanthropy approach has advanced transformative treatments for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, including 18 projects that advanced to human clinical trials and multiple projects to overcome the limitations of exon-skipping and gene therapy. In addition, CureDuchenne contributed early funding to the first FDA-approved Duchenne drug, pioneered the first and only Duchenne physical and occupational therapist certification program and created an innovative data-integrated biobank, accelerating research toward a cure. For more information on how to help raise awareness and funds needed for research, please visit cureduchenne.org or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and X.

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