Michelle Gamage, 24 hours Vancouver -When the Order of Canada organizers called to ask if he would accept the Governor General’s 2013 Lifetime Artistic Achievement Award, Andrew Dawes thought they had him confused with another person.But there was no mistake. Despite developing focal dystonia, also known as writer’s cramp, in 2006 – which quickly ended his 59 years of performing – the renowned violinist’s years of teaching and 3,000 performances were enough to win him the award.

WENCY LEUNG - The Globe & Mail - Kylee Taylor was distraught. For nearly two years, her teenage son, Kieran Porter, had seen multiple doctors and undergone countless medical tests, but none provided an answer for his alarming and mysterious illness.

By: Heidi Ulrichsen - Sudbury Northern Life Staff - For most of his life, Dwayne Backer has lived with dystonia. For him, that means debilitating muscle spasms and poor fine motor control, preventing him from performing day-to-day tasks such as shaving his own face or writing a grocery list. More

TORONTO - Matthew Sheppard drew attention to dystonia Thursday by offering to help Mayor Rob Ford in his workout regime.

The 13-year-old who suffers from myoclonus dystonia came to City Hall with his mom Cathy and former city councillor Bill Saundercook. Together they invited Ford to take part in the Freedom to Move/Chuck’s 5 km Run/Walk for Dystonia taking place in High Park on June 3. More