Ten-year-old Iraqi schoolboy Yousef Hayder Al Waaeli, diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, is showing positive signs of recovery following pioneering gene therapy treatment at Al Jalila Children’s Hospital in Dubai. The treatment, called Elevidys and approved by the US FDA, was made possible by a Dh10.6 million nationwide donation campaign spearheaded by Dar Al Ber Society. Yousef, who began preparatory tests in April, is already reporting feeling stronger, with his father noting improvements in muscle power, though walking remains challenging. He is undergoing intensive physiotherapy and steroid treatment as part of a comprehensive three-month rehabilitation plan, with no complications reported so far.