RICHMOND, Va. (April 20, 2026) – VCU Health is the first Limb-Girdle Muscular Dystrophy Center of Excellence in the country, marking a historic step forward in care, research and patient engagement for a rare disease with no cure and no federally-approved treatments.
Limb-girdle muscular dystrophy (LGMD) is a collection of diseases marked by muscle weakness around the hips and shoulders and caused by mutations in more than 25 different genes.
The LGMD Center of Excellence at VCU Health, established in partnership with The Speak Foundation (TSF), will serve as the founding site of a planned national network of five LGMD Centers of Excellence across the United States. The Centers of Excellence were selected through a rigorous process for their expertise in neuromuscular care, commitment to multidisciplinary collaboration and leadership in advancing LGMD research – reflecting a shared dedication to improving patient outcomes and accelerating progress for the LGMD community…