Monash University and Muscular Dystrophy Australia launch 3D-printed Chrissy decorations to fund a cure for Muscular Dystrophy via AKQA

For the second year in a row ideas and innovation agency, AKQA, has partnered with Monash University and Muscular Dystrophy Australia to bring to life the imaginative Christmas ornaments of kids with muscular dystrophy with the launch of ‘Little Miracles‘.

For most kids, making Christmas decorations is a simple, fun activity that’s taken for granted. Thousands of Australian kids are affected by muscular dystrophy and these simple things like making and decorating a Christmas ornament is a lot harder to do.

Affecting 1 in every 625 Aussies, muscular dystrophy is a muscle-destroying disorder that slowly takes away your muscles, mobility and quality-of-life. But it doesn’t take away your imagination.

Off the back of its 2016 Christmas campaign, Muscular Dystrophy Australia got its imaginative kids to design Christmas ornaments called ‘Little Miracles’. They were also asked to name their ornament and tell its story.

Then, Monash University’s design students and engineers used 3D printing technology to turn digital blueprints into physical copies of each Little Miracle. Beautiful packaging gave each ornament its own personality.

Says Muscular Dystrophy Australia: “These ornaments aren’t miracles until someone buys them and funds a real miracle – a cure for Muscular Dystrophy. So this Christmas, if you need to buy a small gift that makes a big difference – whether it’s for KK or a stocking filler – bring a Little Miracle to life. All profits go towards finding a cure.

“Leading to the early onset of debilitating heart, breathing and mobility complications, it’s common for those living with the disorder to be fully dependent on a wheelchair by age eight – a time when most kids run free without a care in the world.”

Says Brian Vella, managing director, AKQA: “We facilitated the partnership by sourcing Monash as our 3D partner for MDA and helped their teams bring the campaign to life. We love contributing to this cause, it’s so close to our hearts and such a good reminder at Christmas time that some kids can’t make those Christmas trinkets that are such a big part of every child’s Christmas experience.”