Sammys Super Fund was set up in 2021 when Sammy was 12 years old as his needs for mobility equipment became greater and his family wanted to plan for his future.

Sammy has Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) an incurable genetic progressive muscle wasting condition mostly affecting boys. Most people with DMD are not likely to see their 30th birthday.

Sammy lost his mobility in Nov 2018, so he now uses a power chair to help him navigate through life. He tries to have a positive outlook on life and was not bitter about this transition, instead he says it has been a blessing as now he falls less reducing the risk of injury for himself.

Currently, long term steroid use is the only available treatment for Sammys condition. Although this treatment may have helped with pro-longing Sammys life and mobility it will have weakened his bones over time.

Learning to live with this condition has been nothing short of a rollercoaster for the De Laszlo family. However with the support received from family, friends, other families in the DMD community, healthcare professionals, Sammys school and MDUK, Sammy and his family have so far been able to ensure that Sammy gets all the support, house adaptations and equipment he deserves and needs. Now Sammy is getting older his needs are getting greater, he would like to get out an about in his wheelchair more. The De Laszlo family are intending to use their 20% welfare fund to buy an all-terrain wheelchair for Sammy.

Oliver says:

Over the years we have been passionate fundraisers for MDUK to help raise awareness and funds for treatments for muscle wasting conditions.

In 2014 both Tricia and Oliver (co-founders) created Bake a Difference a nationwide campaign, of which they as a family are hugely involved with. Starting from bake sales hosted at Sammys school to raise money the concept has grown to see participants from all across the country baking to raise money for the charity.

Anyone who would like to join the De Laszlos and host a Bake a Difference can sign up on our website here:

https://www.musculardystrophyuk.org/bake-a-difference/