The fire department points out that every year, hundreds of children are born with some type of muscle disease, which in turns costs thousands of dollars for their families to enable the children to live reasonably comfortable lives.

The Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) was established to help these families financially and to provide a comprehensive program of medical, therapeutic and counseling services to the children and their families, at no direct cost to them. This is provided through a nation-wide network.’