Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) Patient – Support Through Video Games

Hawken Miller, 23, diagnosed with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) at age five discusses his personal journey and how he had turned to video games as an option to stay competitive and connected as his friends advanced in sports while his disease progressed. Knowing the critical role of gaming for people living with DMD, CureDuchenne and PTC Therapeutics are hosting an inaugural virtual gaming tournament on October 10 to connect gamers and people living with DMD across the country.

At age five, Hawken Miller started to fall behind his peers on the soccer team, leading to the heartbreaking diagnosis of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD). Despite all odds, today, Hawken (age 23) is a recent graduate from the University of Southern California. Even though confined to his house, he is a journalist who contributes to The Washington Post and Muscular Dystrophy News. During the pandemic, Hawken also started a Twitch channel to bridge his passions for playing video games and engaging with the online community. Further, Hawken’s parents founded CureDuchenne, a nonprofit organization that aims to find and connect families with children living with the condition to resources and support. As a teenager, he became more involved in CureDuchenne. He used to be very shy, but it has helped improve his public speaking skills and connect with others who have DMD – some of them, including Wil, are his close friends today.