MORGANTOWN -- The Muscular Dystrophy Association covers all kinds of neuromuscular diseases and helps countless people each year. Even though the diseases are different, every patient has one common need: a doctor. Doctors Jaynes and Gutmann are co-directors of the MDA Clinic at the WVU Hospitals. The Clinic provides patients with everything from medical to emotional needs.

"It's the diagnostic process as well as providing treament, if treatment is available," says Dr. Jaynes, "and then support. And coordinating care with other specialists that the individual may need to see."

Along with the MDA Clinic both doctors help with MDA Summer Camp. The camp gives kids with MD the chance to take a week and just be a kid.

"It's kind of a normal summer camp," says Dr. Gutmann. "They have all the same activities as they have at other camps. They have one-on-one couselors that help them with their mobility needs. But otherwise, it's just like a normal camp. They are normal kids."

The summer camps also give the kids a chance to talk to other kids facing the same issues. Gutmann says the internet has also helped her patients to not feel so alone.

"There are all sorts of ways via the internet that people with different diseases can talk to someone on the other side of the country and say 'I had that problem too, here's what I did.'"

The annual MDA telethon helps to raise money to help patients, but also to fund research. Some of the money for research is spent right here in the mountain state.

The doctors say they become close to many of the patients at the clinic, which can make it harder when things get rough.

"You get a lot of strength from the person and from their family," says Jaynes.

"They're people and that's how we treat them," adds Gutmann. "All my patients are not just patients to me. They're people with families and lives."