What if your contribution, your dollar, your donation was the one to make the difference in the life of individuals stricken with Muscular Dystrophy? 

The mission of BallouSkies is to provide funds to map the hearts of boys and girls with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. 
MD weakens all muscles. Without a cure, the most important muscle, the heart, will fail. If we can look at numerous hearts and map the progression of scarring and the weakening of this vital muscle … we can hopefully extend lives until there is a cure!

Ohio State University
Our team at the Ohio State University is working on making a clearer picture, literally, of the heart in muscular dystrophies. Preliminary findings include unique patterns of heart muscle injury using a special noninvasive imaging test called cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR). This injury or scarring of the heart can develop before there are detectable changes in the heart’s function by, for example, echocardiography. Our goal is to identify the earliest signs of the heart muscle injury, before muscular dystrophy patients develop any symptoms of heart disease. Earlier recognition can allow initiation of medications that are proven to preserve heart muscle function and reduce the risk of heart failure or abnormal heart rhythms down the road.

Subha V. Raman, M.D., M.S., F.A.C.C.
Associate Professor of Medicine
Medical Director, Cardiac MR & CT
Co-Director, MR/CT Imaging
Cardiovascular Medicine
Davis Heart & Lung Research Institute