MEMBERS OF THE Irish Defence Forces are to undertake a 12 hour ‘cycleathon’ in Newbridge to raise funds for the treatment of seven-year-old Archie Ennis, who has been diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

The charity event has been organised by soldiers in the 07 PNCO course, of which there are thirty. Archie is the son of one of the soldiers.

Duchenne muscular dystrophy is a genetic disorder characterised by the progressive loss of muscle. It predominantly affects boys.

The average life expectancy for people living with the disorder is around the late twenties, though in recent years, people with the disorder have been more likely to survive into their early thirties.

Archie’s mother Una has said that he is “finding it hard to stand up and walk up the stairs”.

They have been in contact with a doctor in the US where Archie is eligible for gene therapy, Una said. The treatment will cost €3.2m in Los Angeles.

“As parents we want to show Archie we tried everything to stop this from happening,” she said.

A GoFundMe set up previously to raise funds for his treatment has raised over €570,000.

The charity event is taking place in the Whitewater Shopping Centre, Newbridge, on Wednesday 1 May. The team involved, “Archie’s Army”, will be completing the cycleathon during the event, as well as running a raffle that has been supported by several local businesses in Whitewater. 

Soldiers from 07 PNCO Course will be cycling in shifts, with 15 bikes running for 12 hours straight, with each participant cycling for 6 hours (1 hour on, 1 hour off), it said.