Golfer Morgan Hoffman Won't Let Muscular Dystrophy Diagnosis Define Him

There is no rhythm or reason why someone is chosen to battle a disease like muscular dystrophy. Being diagnosed with muscular dystrophy is overwhelming, especially when it changes a person's lifestyle and outlook on life. However, there are patients who take their diagnosis and do everything they can to not let it control their lives. And, one of these patients is Morgan Hoffman.

Morgan Hoffman is a pro-golfer who revealed in December 2017 that he was battling muscular dystrophy, and has also shared his determination to find a cure. Hoffman refuses to let his disease take him and his desire to play the game. He has become an inspiration to family, friends, colleagues, coaches and others who are battling neurodegenerative disorders.

Understanding life with muscular dystrophy

Muscular dystrophy is a group of disorders that causes the weakening of the muscles. Over time, the muscles may become too weak to support a person’s day to day activities like walking, and sometimes even breathing. Depending on the type of muscular dystrophy and its severity some patients end up requiring round the clock care to help manage their disease and their life.

There are nine different types of muscular dystrophy and they will all result in the eventual loss of strength and disability. Regardless of the type of muscular dystrophy a patient has, it has to do with to a mutation in the genes that make the proteins found in muscles.

There is currently no cure for muscular dystrophy, but there are treatment options available for those with the disease to help them deal with the side effects.  For some, it might be the use of braces, for others, physical therapy. Corrective surgery has even been used for some patients.  In some cases, medications, such as steroids, are used to slow the deterioration of muscles, control seizures and involuntary muscle activity. The evasive use of immunosuppressants has been used to try and slow the damage being done to dying muscle cells. Morgan Hoffman is exploring all of these and hopes that others who also have muscular dystrophy are able to do the same.

Hoffman’s type of muscular dystrophy is called facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy and typically affects the face, chest, back, neck, arms and depending on the case, the legs.  Like many disorders, it affects everyone differently and depending on the progression of the disease, some muscles degenerate more quickly than others. 

Source: Youtube