The idea for Awaaz came from two mums, Nazma Chowdury from Bradford and Anisa Kothia from Dewsbury. Both women have sons with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. They wanted to get to know other families from South Asian backgrounds affected by muscle-wasting and weakening conditions living in their area.
The aims of Awaaz
- To enable families affected by muscle-wasting conditions to support each other.
- To raise awareness of muscle-wasting and weakening conditions.
- To make it easier for families to get support. Breaking down language and cultural barriers.
- To build a network that can support each other.
Anisa Kothia from Dewsbury, whose six-year-old son has Duchenne muscular dystrophy, said:
Being able to speak to other parents who can relate to you and understand exactly what you are going through can be a huge source of support and comfort. We have been working hard to identify ways to help South Asian adults and children affected by muscle-wasting conditions in particular, to work for a better future together. Our Awaaz group seems like the perfect way to bring families together. We want to build a strong community where we can all support and reach out to each other.
Nazma Chowdhury from Bradford, whose eleven-year-old son also has Duchenne muscular dystrophy, said:
I cannot tell you enough how much this forum will mean to people. It can be incredibly isolating having a child who has a condition that people know little about. Navigating the health system and negotiating all the NHS services can be extremely daunting. We hope this new forum will be the missing link for many families in the area. This group, as well as being a community for families, will help to breakdown the barrier of language and culture that may prevent some people getting the best support available.
Interested in the Awaaz group?
- Complete our form to hear more via email:
- Join the facebook page.
- Email us with any questions: communitysupport@musculardystrophyuk.org