Defeat Duchenne Canada
Defeat Duchenne Canada is a Canadian registered charity that funds Duchenne muscular dystrophy research, advocates for affected families, and delivers national education programs including Family Forums, webinars, and a Clinical Trial Finder Tool.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1995
- HeadquartersLondon, Canada
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Defeat Duchenne Canada does
Defeat Duchenne Canada, operating legally as The Jesse Davidson Foundation (Charitable Number 89509-7756-RR0001), is a Canadian registered charity founded in 1995 and headquartered in London, Ontario. It is the country's only national charity dedicated exclusively to ending Duchenne muscular dystrophy, and serves three primary constituencies: families affected by Duchenne (an estimated 800+ boys and young men in Canada), Duchenne researchers and scientists (recipients of its annual grant program), and healthcare professionals (neuromuscular specialists, cardiologists, pulmonologists, and allied clinicians). The organization rebranded from Jesse's Journey to Defeat Duchenne Canada in 2022 to signal its national scope and is currently executing a 2024-2028 Strategic Plan.
Its core service portfolio spans research funding, education, and family support. Since 1995 it has deployed more than $20.3 million across 80+ research projects worldwide and has contributed over $1 million as an original funder of the Canadian Neuromuscular Disease Registry (CNDR), which now holds data on more than 4,600 neuromuscular patients. Programmatic offerings include annual national Family Forums hosted in partnership with leading pediatric hospitals (SickKids, Holland Bloorview, CHEO, IWK, Stan Cassidy Centre), recorded and live educational webinars, a Clinical Trial Finder Tool, free emergency care materials distributed by mail, virtual support groups such as Canadians Talk Duchenne, and the annual Walk to Defeat Duchenne fundraising event. Underlying technology is modest: a WordPress-based website, the Clinical Trial Finder Tool, YouTube-hosted webinar recordings, and the Pheedloop virtual events platform. The organization has no commercial product, API, SDK, or proprietary AI/ML assets.
Revenue is generated entirely through charitable giving — personal donations, corporate sponsorships (including recurring pharmaceutical industry support such as PTC Therapeutics), legacy and planned giving, and community fundraising events. All educational programs, webinars, family forums, and emergency care materials are provided free of charge to Canadian Duchenne families. Operating with a small staff of 1-10, the charity relies on donor trust, volunteer mobilization, and an extensive partnership network that includes Muscular Dystrophy Canada, NMD4C, Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy, World Duchenne Organization, Duchenne UK (Project HERCULES), and Duchenne CAB to deliver a national program footprint.
Defeat Duchenne Canada firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Defeat Duchenne Canada
- Legal name
- The Jesse Davidson Foundation
- Website
- https://defeatduchenne.ca
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1995
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Defeat Duchenne Canada is a Canadian registered charity that funds Duchenne muscular dystrophy research, advocates for affected families, and delivers national education programs including Family Forums, webinars, and a Clinical Trial Finder Tool.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Defeat Duchenne Canada industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Disease-specific nonprofit patient advocacy and research funding
- NAICS
- Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Voluntary Health Organizations (813212)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Health & Medical Research Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAL)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Research & Science Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAI)
Keywords
Where Defeat Duchenne Canada is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Defeat Duchenne Canada business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Personal Donations: Individual Canadians donate to support Duchenne research and family programs. Donations can be made through personal giving pages on the website.
- Corporate Giving: Corporate partners provide charitable donations and sponsorships, including educational partnership programs for events and materials.
- Legacy and Planned Giving: Bequests and planned gifts from donors who include Defeat Duchenne Canada in their estate planning.
- Fundraising Events: Community fundraising events such as the Walk to Defeat Duchenne where participants raise funds.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Other | Free educational programs and services for Duchenne families |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels12 records
Defeat Duchenne Canada product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Defeat Duchenne Canada (legally The Jesse Davidson Foundation) is a Canadian registered charity that funds Duchenne muscular dystrophy research and delivers national family support programs. Since 1995 it has invested over $20.3 million across 80+ research projects worldwide and runs an annual Research Grant Program, national Family Forums, educational webinars, a Clinical Trial Finder Tool, free emergency care materials, and virtual peer support groups such as Canadians Talk Duchenne.
Product overview
Defeat Duchenne Canada (The Jesse Davidson Foundation) is a charitable organization that serves as the country's leading resource for Duchenne muscular dystrophy support, not a technology product company. The organization operates a portfolio of support services including research funding programs, family education initiatives, clinical resources, and community connection tools. Core offerings include an annual research grant program funding over $20.3 million in research since 1995, national Family Forums bringing together families with researchers and clinicians, educational webinars, a Clinical Trial Finder Tool, emergency care materials, the Canadian Neuromuscular Disease Registry partnership, and virtual support programs like Canadians Talk Duchenne. These programs work together to provide comprehensive support from diagnosis through adulthood for Canadian families affected by Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Research Grant Program Annual competitive grant program that funds cutting-edge Duchenne muscular dystrophy research for scientists and research institutions worldwide, with cumulative investment exceeding $20.3 million since 1995.
- Family Forums Canada's only national education program specifically designed for boys and young men living with Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophy and their families, hosted in partnership with leading neuromuscular centres such as SickKids, Holland Bloorview, CHEO, and IWK Health Centre.
- Educational Webinars Live and recorded webinars delivering evidence-based Duchenne information directly from researchers, clinicians, and industry partners to affected families, hosted virtually and archived on YouTube.
- Clinical Trial Finder Tool Online navigation tool that helps Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophy families explore clinical trial opportunities in Canada and internationally.
- Emergency Care Materials Free physical emergency care resources (wallet cards, tearproof information cards, and community education cards) mailed to Duchenne families across Canada so they can communicate disease-specific medical needs to emergency providers.
- Helpful Resources Library Curated online library of resources from Canadian and international organizations supporting Duchenne families, including educational materials, care guides, and community connections.
- Canadians Talk Duchenne Support Groups Virtual peer support groups connecting Canadian Duchenne families for ongoing conversation, lived-experience sharing, and community building.
- Canadian Neuromuscular Disease Registry (CNDR) Co-Funding Defeat Duchenne Canada is the original funder and a major ongoing contributor (over $1 million) to the Canada-wide Canadian Neuromuscular Disease Registry, which collects medical information from neuromuscular patients to accelerate therapy development.
- Family Story Platform Story-driven content platform featuring testimonials and shared experiences from Canadian families affected by Duchenne to inform, inspire, and unite the broader community.
Quantifiable outcome
- $20.3 million invested in Duchenne research across 80+ projects
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Defeat Duchenne Canada
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Defeat Duchenne Canada technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Defeat Duchenne Canada partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
14 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- The Jesse Davidson FoundationcoreDefeat Duchenne Canada is the operating name of The Jesse Davidson Foundation, a registered Canadian charity (Charitable Number: 89509-7756-RR0001). The foundation was established to fund research and support for families affected by Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
- Canadian Neuromuscular Disease Registry (CNDR)coreDefeat Duchenne Canada was an original funder of the CNDR and has contributed more than $1 million towards the development and maintenance of the registry. The registry collects medical information from patients across Canada to facilitate research and accelerate development of new therapies.
- World Duchenne OrganizationcoreDefeat Duchenne Canada is a proud member of the World Duchenne Organization, dedicated to finding a cure and viable treatments for DMD, promoting good standards of care, and informing parents globally about issues serving the best interests of their children.
- Muscular Dystrophy CanadamajorPartnered with Muscular Dystrophy Canada and Neuromuscular Disease Network for Canada (NMD4C) for the first nationally accredited summit solely focused on Duchenne muscular dystrophy for healthcare providers.
- Neuromuscular Disease Network for Canada (NMD4C)majorPan-Canadian network bringing together clinical, scientific, technical, and patient expertise to improve care, research and collaboration in neuromuscular disease. Partnered for clinical conference.
- The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids)majorHosted 2025 Family Forum in partnership with SickKids and Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital in Toronto, Ontario. SickKids researchers receive funding through Defeat Duchenne Canada grants.
- Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation HospitalmajorPartner hospital for 2025 Family Forum in Toronto. Researchers from Holland Bloorview receive grant funding for Duchenne research including bullying prevention studies.
- Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO)majorHosted 2024 Family Forum in Ottawa in partnership with CHEO. CHEO researchers receive funding for Duchenne research including bone health studies led by Dr. Leanne Ward.
- IWK Health CentremajorPartner for 2026 Family Forum in Halifax, Nova Scotia along with Stan Cassidy Centre for Rehabilitation.
- Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy (PPMD)majorUS nonprofit organization leading the fight to end Duchenne. Defeat Duchenne Canada co-funded a two-year Clinical Fellowship in Duchenne endocrinology and bone fragility with PPMD ($300,000 USD). Collaborated on emergency care protocols.
- La Force DMDminorCanadian non-profit organization based in Quebec that unites the DMD community to raise awareness and provide access to new treatments. Co-presented 2020 Family Forum in Montreal.
- PTC TherapeuticsminorPharmaceutical company that has presented at and sponsored multiple Family Forums including events in Vancouver (2020), Montreal (2020), London (2022, 2023). Industry partner providing research updates.
- Duchenne UKminorLeading Duchenne charity in the UK. Defeat Duchenne Canada (Jesse's Journey) sits on the Project HERCULES Steering Group, a multinational collaboration to develop tools supporting Health Technology Assessments for DMD treatments.
- Duchenne CABminorIndependent international Community Advisory Board of trained patient representatives from 12 countries. Goal is to accelerate research, development, clinical trials and access to effective treatments for DMD worldwide.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Defeat Duchenne Canada competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy (PPMD): Leading US nonprofit dedicated to ending Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Directly comparable to Defeat Duchenne Canada as a national DMD-focused charity; the two co-funded a $300K USD Clinical Fellowship and collaborate on emergency care protocols.
- Muscular Dystrophy Canada: Canadian charity covering a broader portfolio of neuromuscular disorders including Duchenne. Direct competitor for Canadian donors, families, and researchers, and an active co-partner on the nationally accredited Duchenne summit for healthcare providers.
- Action Duchenne: UK charity focused on Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophy. Directly comparable as a national DMD-specific organization offering research funding, family support, and advocacy programming.
- Duchenne UK: Leading UK-based Duchenne-specific charity. Direct peer in mission and scale; co-collaborator with Defeat Duchenne Canada on Project HERCULES, a multinational effort to build Health Technology Assessment tools for DMD treatments.
- La Force DMD: Quebec-based Canadian non-profit focused specifically on the DMD community. Direct competitor/peer in Canada for French-speaking families, and a past co-presenter of the 2020 Montreal Family Forum with Defeat Duchenne Canada.
Emerging players
- Cure SMA: US nonprofit focused on spinal muscular atrophy, a different but adjacent neuromuscular disease. Comparable as a rare-disease charity model that has successfully translated research funding into approved therapies, providing a useful parallel for Defeat Duchenne Canada's strategic roadmap.
Broad incumbents
- Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA): Large US nonprofit covering many neuromuscular diseases including Duchenne. A broad incumbent that competes for corporate sponsorships and donor mindshare in the DMD space, though its mandate extends well beyond Duchenne.
- World Duchenne Organization: Global umbrella organization uniting national DMD charities worldwide. Defeat Duchenne Canada is a member; serves as a coordinating/incumbent body rather than a directly competing fundraising entity.
Others
- Cystic Fibrosis Canada: Canadian national charity for another rare genetic disease. Comparable as a Canada-based rare-disease research-funding and family-support organization with a similar scale and operating model, though serving a different disease community.
- Children's Tumor Foundation: US nonprofit focused on neurofibromatosis. Thematically comparable as a rare-disease charity that combines research funding, patient registry infrastructure, and community programming, but serving a different disease.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Defeat Duchenne Canada social profiles
Digital presenceDefeat Duchenne Canada financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Defeat Duchenne Canada leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Defeat Duchenne Canada funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Defeat Duchenne Canada M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Defeat Duchenne Canada
What does Defeat Duchenne Canada do?
Defeat Duchenne Canada (legally The Jesse Davidson Foundation) is a Canadian registered charity that funds Duchenne muscular dystrophy research and delivers national family support programs. Since 1995 it has invested over $20.3 million across 80+ research projects worldwide and runs an annual Research Grant Program, national Family Forums, educational webinars, a Clinical Trial Finder Tool, free emergency care materials, and virtual peer support groups such as Canadians Talk Duchenne.
Is Defeat Duchenne Canada a public or private company?
Defeat Duchenne Canada is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Defeat Duchenne Canada founded?
Defeat Duchenne Canada was founded in 1995. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Defeat Duchenne Canada based?
Defeat Duchenne Canada is headquartered in London, Canada, in the North America region.
How does Defeat Duchenne Canada make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Personal Donations are the primary driver. The others are corporate Giving, legacy and Planned Giving and fundraising Events.
Who are Defeat Duchenne Canada's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy (PPMD), Muscular Dystrophy Canada, Action Duchenne, Duchenne UK and La Force DMD. Cure SMA is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) and World Duchenne Organization. Others are Cystic Fibrosis Canada and Children's Tumor Foundation.
Does Defeat Duchenne Canada have an API?
No public API is recorded for Defeat Duchenne Canada.
What industry is Defeat Duchenne Canada in?
Defeat Duchenne Canada's product category is Disease-specific nonprofit patient advocacy and research funding. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAKAL, Health & Medical Research Grantmaking Foundations, with a secondary code of BPAGAKAI, Research & Science Grantmaking Foundations. Its NAICS code is 813211.