The Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) is an American 501(c)(3) umbrella organization that works to support people with neuromuscular diseases. Founded in 1950 by Paul Cohen, who lived with muscular dystrophy, it works to combat neuromuscular disorders by funding research, providing medical and community services and educating health professionals and the general public and contributed more than $1 billion toward researching therapies and cures, helping to fund the identification of the dystrophin gene responsible for Duchenne muscular dystrophy as well as prospective treatments.
