Dr. Ryan J Russell

What’s Freedom to You?

Today is Independence Day in the United States, and it may very well be my favorite Holiday. It has nothing to do with fireworks or cookouts or that I had ancestors fight in the war. I probably had some on both sides. This picture was taken during a short break at the PPMD Conference. Aside…

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From Cute Kid in the Chair, To Nice Guy

I have Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, and I’m in my late 30’s. I’ve noticed something about relationships, and I’m sure I am not the first. For me, the way it was is very likely still the way it is for you younger guys. Cute Kid For me up through high school, I was popular with the…

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The Future?

Every year 20,000 parents find out their child has Duchenne muscular dystrophy. It was a known possibility for some families, and others – like my family – are caught completely unaware. Unfortunately, muscular dystrophy families do not have a monopoly on the grief of a child with a disability. In the disability community, far more…

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What Makes a Hero?

Hero? I was once asked what I thought about calling individuals with DMD heroes and warriors just because they have a disability. True, it’s challenging to have DMD, but every person on the Earth has a struggle of some sort, and no one understands someone else’s fight. You bemoan your fate, but if you had…

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Human Touch and Disability

When was the last time someone passing by brushed your arm or touched your shoulder? Remember the last time you were able to give someone a real five with an audible noise? If you can’t recall, it’s possible you don’t have DMD or have not left your house since Covid started. Touch is something humans…

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Prepare for 90 at 20

There are very few things that humans cannot control, overcome, or at least influence.  We can build dams on rivers, create lakes, control, and put out forest fires. We have even found ways of overcoming gravity.  However, there is one thing we have not learned to control, and that is time.  Even if we could…

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Leap of Faith

Faith is an often misunderstood concept. When people hear the word faith, they tend to think of religions where an individual believes in a supreme being of some sort. However, people do themselves a great disservice by thinking that faith is only religious. Faith in one’s self is perhaps the most significant asset any individual can attain in life. As children, we were full of faith; a child has faith that when an adult puts their hands out and says, come over here,” they can walk to them.

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