Stony Brook Children's Hospital has become the first certified Duchenne care center on Long Island.

Duchenne muscular dystrophy, also known as DMD, is a genetic disorder that weakens skeletal and heart muscles causing cardiac and respiratory issues.

Dora Ho's son, Daniel, was diagnosed with the disease when he was 5. Now, 13, Daniel has been seeing Stony Brook doctors for seven years.

"Before they were even certified, they were already amazing so them being certified now, hopefully that lets more parents and patients know this is where they should go," Dora Ho says.

Daniel currently utilizes a motorized wheelchair, so accessibility means everything to the Hicksville family.

According to the Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy organization, DMD affects around 1 out of 5,000 boys and 20,000 children are diagnosed with the disease globally ever year.

According to Stony Brook Children's Hospital, an estimated 1,000 boys in the tri-state area have DMD.

"It's really wonderful now being a certified center," said Dr. Peter Morelli, the program director. "We have the option to be part of clinical trials that are offering innovative new therapies."

There is no cure to the disease, but doctors at Stony Brook say the hospital's certified center will continue creating innovative ways to improve their patients' quality of life.