The Join Our Boys campaign received a welcome international boost on Wednesday when Paula and Padraic Naughton and their son Archie (14) appeared on the high profile UK morning show, Good Morning Britain.
The Join Our Boys Trust was set up to raise awareness of the rare disease which three Roscommon brothers have been diagnosed with. Archie (14), George and Isaac Naughton (10) all have Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.
Top TV personality Piers Morgan, who co-hosts Good Morning Britain with Susanna Reid, spoke with emotion at the end of the interview, telling the Naughtons – who appeared virtually, from their home in Roscommon – that he “believes in miracles”.
Expressing his admiration for Archie’s resilience, Piers Morgan said: “Archie, we’re all really proud of you for the way that you handle this without any complaint – you just get up every day and you keep going.
“We’re going to keep promoting awareness of the condition that you have, and that your brothers have.
“I believe in miracles, and we know that if enough people talk about something… I mean, we’ve seen it with Covid-19 – vaccines normally take five, six years, and they’ve managed to do it in eight months. We will do whatever we can to keep shining a light on the condition that you and your brothers have. Let’s just hope we can get somewhere with it; it’d be great to think we can”.
During the interview, hosts Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid spoke to Archie and his parents about the brothers’ condition, the Join Our Boys Trust and the challenges faced by the family in recent years.
Archie, George and Isaac were diagnosed with Duchenne Muscular Distrophy (DMD) in 2012. There is currently no cure for the muscle-weakening disease.
The Join Our Boys Trust, which was launched in 2014, is dedicated to raising DMD awareness, supporting research and supporting the practical needs of the three boys.
On the show, Archie spoke about how his condition affects his daily life, while his parents spoke of how inspirational and courageous their sons are.
The boys also received some early Christmas gifts from the show. Archie, a big Chelsea fan, was presented with a jersey signed by the entire Chelsea team as well as a pair of boots signed by manager Frank Lampard. Archie was also sent a message by Chelsea striker Timo Werner, who thanked him for his support and encouraged him to stay strong.
Twins George and Isaac did not miss out either, receiving a goodwill message from celebrity chef Nigella Lawson, whom they are big fans of. The hosts also informed the family that they were going to be treated to a VIP trip to Fota Wildlife Park in Cork.
