Walk for Brock

When Brock Janes turned three, his parents were faced with a hard reality - their son had Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD).

"Very scary," said his mother, Charlene Janes, a native of Wareham now living in Oshawa, Ont. with Brock and his father Lee Janes, commenting on the moment she first learned of her son's illness. "We didn't know anything about the disease ... our whole world got tossed about."

A severe form of muscular dystrophy with no known cure, DMD is characterized by a rapid progression of muscle degeneration. Those afflicted have a life expectancy ranging from the late teens to mids-30s.

Residents of Centreville-Trinity-Wareham hope eight-year-old Brock gets to live a lot longer than that. On May 15, they took part in the annual Walk for Brock.

The walk, which involved 60 people, began in Wareham, continued in Centreville, and concluded in Indian Bay. Mr. Janes and Brock were on hand for the event.

This year's event raised almost $9,000 to go towards efforts to eliminate the disease. The first walk took place four years ago.

The idea for the event sprung from a similar one called Jesse's Journey. John Davidson pushed his son Jesse, who had DMD, across Ontario in his wheelchair. Three years later, Mr. Davidson walked across Canada. Jesse Davidson died last year at the age of 29.

Ms. Janes said her son is doing very well with the disease, though he must deal with some frustrating consequences.

"He can't keep up with his friends, he can't ride a bike, he struggles when he runs, and he can't walk up the stairs. Most kids his age are out riding bikes and playing hockey and jumping up and down. It's things like that Brock can't do."

Despite this, she said Brock handles such disappointments well.

"We let him go and be a normal little boy and do what he can do, and sometimes he gets upset because he can't do certain things, but then he says, 'That's okay, because I'll just do this.'"

Jill Pickett, one of the organizers for the event in Centreville-Trinity-Wareham and Ms. Janes' aunt, said there's is a lot of support for the event both within the community and beyond. She said next year there may be a Walk for Brock in Fort McMurray, Alta.

"We've got to find a cure," she said.

While she is now far away from home, Ms. Janes appreciates the support her son receives in Centreville-Trinity-Wareham.

"It's a small town, and they don't have much, but they give everything they have. They've really put their heart into it."

Ultimately, she hopes the money raised will help find a cure soon.

"That's what keeps us going - seeing all these people rally around Brock."

info@ganderbeacon.ca

HELPFUL STROLE - Residents of Centreville-Trinity-Wareham were out on May 15 to show their support for eight-year-old Brock Janes, pictured in the electronic cart. Brock has Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a degerative muscle disorder that leads to death at a young age. The group of 60 residents raised almost $9,000. Submitted photo