Muscular Dystrophy Australia (MDA) is working towards a world without Muscular Dystrophy (MD) - but in the meantime, providing support and hope as an organisation respected by the MD community. MDA provides respite services, programs and support as well as funding research at the National Muscular Dystrophy Centre in the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute and Muscle Clinics at the Royal Children's Hospital. An integral role of MDA is to provide continual support and advice for families, right from the moment of diagnosis, as it's essential families receive the most up-to-date information and stay informed about existing and new programs, research and services. One of the most important services MDA provides is respite camps, with CampMDA alone providing over 14,000 hours of respite per annum to families of affected children. Since 1984, MDA has provided over half a million hours of respite for those in the community affected by MD, as well as over 110,000 hours of the support program 'Futures' and more than 150,000 hours of student placement representing over 5,500 tertiary education students supporting CampMDA. MDA also works as an advocate for the MD community in the public sphere, through engagement with both government and the media to provide a voice which represents the MD community.