MORGANTOWN -- Doctors first diagnosed Josh Hancock at age seven, with Duchene Muscular Dystrophy. It was only a year after his mother first noticed him having trouble physically keeping up with other kids his age.

"He had spinal meningitis when he was two," says Josh's mom Karen about the first time she took him to the doctor, "so they thought that all of his problems related back to that and so it took another year before we saw a doctor who really know what the symptoms were, and realized this is what he had."

In middle school, Josh was confined to a wheelchair. Karen, says Josh's childhood was a little different, but she always made sure he was having fun.

"We just deal with the muscular dystrophy and we still go on and have a good time. There are things that we can't do, but there are things that Josh has been able to do that other kids haven't been able to do."

Like most kids, Josh made some life-long friends in high school. One of those, his prom date Crystal, was also a M-D patient. Crystal passed away a little more than six months ago, but Josh still remembers her fondly.

"In high school, she used to put her books on my lap tray and make me pull her around the school, says Josh. "It was always a lot of fun having her around. She had a lot of life in her."

Josh has always been interested in sports and has met several professional and college athletes. Even though he can't play, he loves to watch.

"I just love watching sports. I can't do it, so I feel like I can kind of do it through them, when I watch them."

This semester, Josh will be using his life experiences to teach others. He'll talk to a group of first year medical students at WVU about his successes, and some of the difficulties he's had.

"I'm just going to tell them about how the disease has effected me, because they've done a study on Dushene so I'm going to show them what it's like."

Josh says his family has always been a strong positive influence in his life, and has helped him fight the disease.

"When I was at home, they didn't see the wheelchair. No one in my family see its. They know it's there. They know they have to help me, but its not the focal point of my life. That's my life, my family. Not this chair and all the weakness I have."

As always, you can help people like Josh this Labor Day weekend. WBOY will broadcast the MDA telethon live. It will start next Sunday night, September 6 at 11:30, and will be shown until 6:00 p.m. on Labor Day.