The Muscle Help Foundation (MHF) is a small family charity delivering highly personalised, transformational experiences (also referred to as interventions and moments-in-time) in the UK called 'Muscle Dreams' for children and young people, uniquely between the ages of 8 to 28yrs, with Muscular Dystrophy (MD).
MD brings profound physical disability coupled with a limit on life which creates a huge challenge. MHF works tirelessly to ensure through meticulous planning that despite everyday life feeling at times utterly impossible for these children, young people, young adults and their families, their experience will provide that “anything is possible” attitude that society, educational and social barriers often knock out of them.
Muscle Dreams have included learning outdoor survival techniques with Ray Mears, spending time with British F1 racing driver Lewis Hamilton and interviewing global movie icon Al Pacino to a bespoke photography masterclass at the National Portrait Gallery and a host of virtual wellbeing interventions.
With a team of dedicated volunteers, MHF's founder and CEO Michael McGrath MBE personally hosts each experience, inspiring beneficiaries to explore their own potential. Michael is the driving force behind the charity and is the first disabled person in the world to have successfully led expeditions to both the North and South Poles ~ he himself has MD.
MHF brings together children, young people and their families, creating communities through transformational events, networks and programmes. Through Muscle Dreams and by bringing beneficiaries and families together, we aim to help fulfil potential, giving them a real sense of purpose.
Our impact is felt by beneficiaries and their families across the UK ~ from improved confidence, greater self-esteem, and an increased sense of hopefulness to a powerful shared identity that connects families, giving a platform to share knowledge, memories and establish lasting friendships. Thanks to a robust piece of in-depth research over a 12-month period by a number of clinical psychologists at the University of Hertfordshire that analysed six years of both quantitative and qualitative, MHF has taken impact measurement further than any other wish-fulfilment charity - as a result, MHF's impact has been academically validated.
Our current mission is to deliver 657 Muscle Dreams for children and young people with MD; that’s one life-changing experience for every muscle in the human body. For our beneficiaries, every moment is an opportunity to realise their potential. For their family and friends, each one opens up a support network of like-minded individuals. That’s the power of our promise. That’s the #powerof657.
Find out more about our work, our impact, our growing 'Muscle Warrior' tribe and the difference your support and skills can make in helping us change lives and give hope.
You're a savvy social media operator! This innovative foodie fundraiser aims to raise vital funds so many more Muscle Dreams can be...
