It was always CureDuchenne’s goal to have a world-class clinic in Orange County dedicated to treating the rare neuromuscular disease it’s named after, says Debra Miller, co-founder and chief executive of the nonprofit.
This month, the nonprofit accomplished that goal.
The CureDuchenne Clinic, in partnership with Children’s Hospital of Orange County (now part of Rady Children’s Health), recently opened at CHOC Center for Children’s Health in Irvine.
“We are going to be a destination center for these patients,” Miller said in front of a crowd at the Sept. 15 ribbon cutting for the clinic.
CureDuchenne is committing nearly $1.5 million over three years to not only fund the clinic but also expand clinical trials and research for Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophy.
“Thanks to the clinical expertise, we are likely going to be having families travel here to Orange County to receive this exceptional care,” senior vice president and chief development officer of the CHOC Foundation Jessica Miley told the Business Journal.
Multidisciplinary Facility
The CHOC Center for Children’s Health takes up the entire second floor of the Joe C. Wen & Family Center for Advanced Care, which is part of the $1.3 billion hospital complex being built in Irvine by UCI Health.
The 168,000-square-foot outpatient facility offers services for more than 20 areas of care.
Opening the CureDuchenne Clinic in Irvine will give patients access to the facility’s multidisciplinary specialties, according to Miley.
With the funding, CHOC will be building a transition program in partnership with the University of California, Irvine for clinical trials, which are also taking place at CHOC’s newly opened $300 million Southwest Tower in Orange.
Bringing Neuromuscular Experts to New Clinic
Miller and her husband Paul co-founded CureDuchenne in 2003, a year after their son, Hawken, was diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
The disease affects around 15,000 people in the U.S., mainly boys between the ages 2 and 5. Most lose the ability to walk by the age of 12 and don’t survive beyond their mid-20s. There is currently no cure.
More important than the money, Miller said that CureDuchenne is bringing several experts, such as Dr. Brenda Wong.
Wong directed the Comprehensive Neuromuscular Center at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center for 19 years before becoming the founding director of the Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy Center at the University of Massachusetts Memorial Medical Center.
The nonprofit in May appointed Wong its chief medical advisor, effective January 2026.
Miller said that the clinic will eventually transition to care for adult patients with Duchenne, such as Hawken who is 28 years old.
“He’s fully employed and living a great life, but right now, he’s having to cobble together his care,” Miller said. “So bringing up new physicians who are able to learn about adult Duchenne is going to be really important.”
Newport Beach-based CureDuchenne is the 69th largest nonprofit in Orange County, having generated $9 million in local revenue for 2024.
It has invested more than $26 million in 50 different research projects and clinical trials, including investments in 29 companies, according to a 2025 impact report.
