Alex's Wish - Cure Duchenne

What Alex's Wish - Cure Duchenne does

Alex's Wish is a UK-registered charity (number 1148845) founded in 2013 by Emma and Andy Hallam following their son Alex's Duchenne muscular dystrophy diagnosis in 2010. Operating from Leicester with a small core staff of approximately 4 employees and an 8-member board of trustees, the charity exists to fund medical research, improve care standards, and accelerate access to treatments and assistive technologies for the ~2,500 boys in the UK living with Duchenne — a progressive genetic disease affecting 1 in 3,500 male births globally.

The organization's core offerings are diversified fundraising products and services rather than a traditional technology product. These include recurring monthly giving (£7/month), the #BeMoreAlex Business Community subscription at £75/month, signature fundraising events (Supercars Day, Charity Balls, Charity Golf Day, London Marathon), personal challenge events (Push Yourself), Charity-of-the-Year corporate partnerships, NEXT retail-affiliate apparel, and Emma Hallam's paid resilience talks channeled through the Owning It platform. Operational infrastructure consists of a WordPress website with Stripe donation integration, an easyfundraising affiliate partnership (4,000+ retailers), and active social channels (Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn).

Its revenue model is multi-stream: individual one-time and recurring donations, event-based fundraising (participation fees + sponsorship), corporate membership subscriptions, retail-affiliate revenue (NEXT pyjamas with 100% profit donation), and major-donor gifts such as The Brothers Trust (~£250K cumulative). Since 2013 the charity has raised approximately £2.9 million cumulative, funding 22 medical research projects, 6 clinical trial projects, and multiple care/technology initiatives; 2025 grant disbursements included £200K for the MyoGene Bio CRISPR gene-editing therapy award, £80K for Virtual Hospitals, £48K for the ELEVEX Suit, and £30K for the Leeds Transitioning Project. Distribution is entirely domestic (UK), through direct-to-donor digital channels plus in-person events, and the charity maintains a close strategic partnership with Duchenne UK for project pipeline sourcing and co-funding.

Name

Alex's Wish - Cure Duchenne

Legal name

Alex's Wish

Website

https://alexswish.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Alex's Wish is a UK-registered charity founded in 2013 that raises funds to advance research, clinical trials, and care for boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, serving affected families through community-powered events, corporate partnerships, and direct donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Disease Research Charity

NAICS

Voluntary Health Organizations (813212)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Rare Disease & Special Needs Support Organizations (BPAGACAM)

akta.pro secondary industry

Disease-Specific Research & Support (e.g., Cancer, Diabetes, ALS) (BPAGACAA)

Keywords

• Charitable fundraising
• Medical research funding
• Muscular dystrophy research
• Community fundraising events
• Corporate charity partnerships

Headquarters

HQ city

Leicester

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Others, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: One-time and recurring donations from individuals supporting the Duchenne cause. Monthly giving program at £7/month includes postcard from Alex and community access.
2. Event Fundraising: Signature events (Supercars Day, Charity Balls, Golf Days, London Marathon) and personal challenge events (cycling, wing walking, abseiling) generate significant fundraising revenue.
3. Business Community Membership: #BeMoreAlex Business Community subscription at £75/month providing networking, events, visibility, and exclusive experiences for corporate supporters.
4. Corporate Partnerships & Services in Kind: Charity of the year partnerships, services in kind donations (printing, photography, PR, web hosting), and product collaborations like NEXT pyjamas where 100% of profits support the charity.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Alex's Wish is a UK-registered charity that funds medical research, raises awareness, and supports families affected by Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. The charity generates revenue through individual donations, monthly giving programmes, signature fundraising events (Supercars Day, Charity Balls, Golf Days), personal challenge events (marathons, wing walks), and corporate partnerships including a paid Business Community membership. Funds raised are directed toward clinical trials, gene therapy research, care standards, and life-enhancing technologies for boys living with Duchenne.

Product overview

Alex's Wish is a UK-based charitable organization focused on funding research and improving care for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. The organization operates a portfolio of fundraising products and services rather than a traditional technology product. Core offerings include community-powered signature events (Supercars Day, Charity Golf Day, Autumn Ball), personal challenge events (Push Yourself Challenges), and regular giving programmes. Additional services include a Business Community membership, Charity of the Year partnerships, school fundraising programmes, and Emma Hallam's resilience workshops. The organization also provides a Parents' Information Pack with curated resources for families affected by Duchenne. Fundraising activities are supported by a Stripe payment integration for donations and an easyfundraising partnership for online shopping contributions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Alex's Wish Fundraising Events

Quantifiable outcome

• £2.9m raised since 2013 funding 22 medical research projects, 6 clinical trial projects, and multiple care/technology initiatives
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, minor and core.

• MyoGene BioflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2025Alex's Wish contributed £200,000 as part of Duchenne UK's £500,000 award to MyoGene Bio, a San Diego-based biotech company developing innovative CRISPR/Cas9-based gene editing therapy (MyoDys45-55) for Duchenne muscular dystrophy. The therapy aims to permanently delete a mutation hotspot in the DMD gene to restore the reading frame and produce functional dystrophin protein.
• We Stay GroupminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 November 2025Donated luxury property (3 nights, 8 guests in the Cotswolds) for Win a Holiday prize draw at Rio Carnival Ball, helping raise funds through the charitable auction.
• NEXT PlccoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 September 2024Collaboration to design and sell boys' pyjamas featuring racing cars (representing Alex's love of motor racing) for World Duchenne Awareness Day. 100% of profits go directly to Alex's Wish to fund innovative research grant. Pyjamas available exclusively in the UK until November 2024.
• Duchenne UKflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerClose strategic partnership working together on project selection, co-funding research, and maximizing impact. Duchenne UK identifies and brings projects to Alex's Wish for support. Alex's Wish participates in Duchenne UK's Therapeutic Call and other grant programs.
• #BeMoreAlex Business Community PartnerscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOver 20 businesses including APM HR, The City Rooms, Creative Festivities, CS Ellis, Danaher & Walsh, Fashions UK, Fintra, FU Media, Jerroms Miller, Nelsons Law, Sanctuary Serviced Accommodation, SHB Solicitors, Spirit Healthcare, Wheatcroft Homes, Winstanley House supporting through monthly membership and event sponsorship.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Muscular Dystrophy UK: The largest UK charity covering all muscular dystrophies, including Duchenne. Operates a much broader research and support portfolio with established infrastructure, competing for both donors and research partnerships.
• Genetic Alliance UK: UK umbrella organization supporting patients affected by genetic conditions including Duchenne. Provides policy advocacy and network support, competing for institutional and trust funding.

Direct peers

• Action Duchenne: Long-standing UK charity focused on Duchenne muscular dystrophy research, advocacy, and family support. Directly comparable mission, donor base, and event-driven fundraising model.
• Duchenne UK: Direct UK peer in the same Duchenne-specific fundraising and research-funding niche. Alex's Wish co-funds projects through Duchenne UK's Therapeutic Grant Call, making them close operational collaborators and direct competitors for donor mindshare.
• Duchenne Research Fund: UK-based charity funding translational Duchenne research with a scientific advisory board model similar to Alex's Wish. Competes for major-donor philanthropy directed at curative research.
• Joining Jack: UK parent-founded Duchenne charity with a similar event-driven fundraising approach and small-team operating model. Directly comparable in scale and origin story.
• Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy (PPMD): Leading US-based Duchenne-focused non-profit funding research, advocacy, and care. Serves as a model for disease-specific, parent-driven fundraising organizations and a global counterpart in the same niche.
• Harrison's Fund: UK-based parent-led Duchenne charity funding research with comparable scale, mission, and reliance on signature/challenge events for fundraising.
• Cure Duchenne: US-based venture-philanthropy style non-profit funding Duchenne research and biotech venture investments. Comparable mission with a more investment-oriented deployment model.

Emerging players

• The Lily Foundation: UK charity supporting families affected by mitochondrial disease — a different rare disease but with a closely analogous parent-led, community-event-driven operating model and donor base.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@alexswish2040
• Facebookfacebook.com/alexswishcharity1
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/alex's-wish
• Instagraminstagram.com/alexs_wish

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Alex's Wish - Cure Duchenne