Victoria will join a nationwide movement by adding a touch of red to its skyline for World Duchenne Awareness Day on Saturday night (Sept. 7). 

As part of the Shine a Light campaign, Victoria's Parliament Buildings will be adorned in red lights to raise awareness of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), one of the most severe forms of the disease, affecting over 800 boys and young men across Canada.

The day is an opportunity to promote education, advocacy, and social inclusion initiatives to improve the quality of life for people living with the condition.

The rarity of the disease often leads to a maze of misdiagnoses, impacting the lives of those affected, explained Defeat Duchenne Canada in a recent release.

"This is why our mission to raise awareness is crucial B次元官网网址� for these families, time is muscle," says Lisa McCoy, CEO of Defeat Duchenne Canada. "We are working every day to ensure that each child facing a Duchenne diagnosis has a fighting chance through swift access to cutting-edge treatments and care that can preserve their muscles and extend their lives."

The campaignB次元官网网址檚 goal is to highlight the B次元官网网址渃riticalB次元官网网址� need for accessible treatments and research that could lead to a cure, said the release.

More than 25 monuments and landmarks across Canada will participate in this yearB次元官网网址檚 event. 

"Each red light this weekend represents our community's unwavering commitment to those battling Duchenne,B次元官网网址� said McCoy. B次元官网网址淚t's a call for access to treatments, earlier diagnoses, better support and care, and increased funding for research.B次元官网网址�

DMD is a genetic disease characterized by progressive muscle degeneration, according to Muscular Dystrophy Canada. Caused by an absence of dystrophin B次元官网网址� a protein that supports the integrity of muscle cells B次元官网网址� the symptoms are usually detected in early childhood.

Symptom onset can be as early as age three and usually affects the muscles of the hips, pelvis and shoulders, progressing to the skeletal muscles. By the early teens, the heart and respiratory muscles may also be affected. A diagnosis of DMD includes a shortened life expectancy.

The disease primarily affects boys but in rare cases can also affect girls.

Residents of Victoria and beyond are invited to participate in this event taking place at the Victoria Legislature on Saturday, Sept. 7, at 8 p.m.

To learn more about DMD, visit .