An important effect of DMD is the problems it creates for the hearts of people who have it. Eventually the heart, being a muscle, weakens in an act called cardiomyopothy, which puts people at risk for fatal heart failure.

Thankfully Jeremy’s heart is doing well, although when he was 16 he did have some problems with it. To deter any problems, he takes six different pills a day, five of which are for his heart.

DMD also causes weak lungs and Jeremy has been in the hospital several times for pneumonia, although on the whole he is extremely healthy.

Jeremy didn’t, and still doesn’t, let his DMD get in his way of having fun and seeing the world. From 1993 to 2004 Jeremy attended MDA summer camp where he, and other kids living with muscular dystrophy, went swimming, horseback riding, canoeing, enjoyed dances and even competed in softball games against the fireman in the Brenham area, where the camp is held.

Jeremy has traveled to Chicago, California, Washington D.C., New Orleans, New York City, and evacuated last year to Memphis and then visited Little Rock.

In school Jeremy enjoyed singing in the choir, and now that’s he’s graduated, he still enjoys singing at home with his dad, Darren, and grandmother, Mimi.

“My daughter, Tonya, is the only one in the house who doesn’t sing,” said Mimi, who has devoted most, if not all, of her time to taking care of her grandson. “He’s my heart. We’re like this,” she added, crossing her fingers.

Jeremy’s mother, Tonya, works as a nurse at the Health Department, and in her spare time she researches to find out as much as she can about DMD, treatment and cures.

And a cure might not be far off. Jeremy said researchers believe they may be close to a cure through gene therapy using man-made genes to ‘fill in’ the lacking dystrophin in the muscles.

But close enough is not a cure. So Jeremy’s doing what he’s done every year for the past 16 years — work as a local ambassador for DMD and appear on the Jerry Lewis MDA telethon to help raise awareness and money for the Muscular Dystrophy Association.

Starting at 8 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 3, KFDM Channel 6 will host the telethon and at 3 p.m. Monday afternoon Jeremy will share his story on the program, encouraging people to donate.

“You just live with it,” said Jeremy, “but we pray all the time for everyone and everything.”

If you would like to donate to MDA research, call 1-800-FIGHT-MD.