A human being since 1972, Patrick Moeschen recently retired after 28 years of teaching music, instruments, jazz, and concert bands at the middle school level. Diagnosed with Becker Muscular Dystrophy in 1985, and re-diagnosed with Limb-Girdle 2E MD in 2012, Patrick continues to lead an active life working in education and advocating for individuals living with muscular dystrophy.
Mr. Moeschen received his Bachelor of Arts degree (Magna Cum Laude) from University of Massachusetts Lowell in 1995 and began teaching middle school band and music at Woodbury Middle School in Salem, NH. Achieving a Master in Counseling and Human Relations from Liberty University in 2006, Patrick continues to teach, currently maintaining a private home studio of percussion students weekly. He was awarded the Teacher of The Year for the state of New Hampshire in 2007 by the Wal-Mart corporation.
In addition to teaching, Patrick is an advocate for children and adults with MD and has presented at disability conferences across the United States, as well as Australia, Italy, Belgium, and the Netherlands. In 2010, Patrick delivered the keynote address in Denver, Colorado at the Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy national conference, and continues to travel throughout the United States speaking about adult disability in culture and society.
In 2020, Patrick began a consulting role with Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy (PPMD), one of the largest grassroots organizations in the United States focusing on care, research, and advocacy for children and adults living with MD. In his role, Patrick runs the 40-member Patient Adult Advisory Committee (PAAC). The PAAC elevates the patient voice in lobbying Congress, as well as organizing, designing, and implementing workshops, webinars, and seminars at disability conferences throughout the world. The PAAC has partnered to begin similar groups in Italy, Ireland, the UK, and the Ukraine.
Patrick is also involved with PPMD in the area of female manifesting carriers of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. This underserved population is a growing voice in the rare disease arena, and Patrick has started a group that is working with an adult clinic at UPenn with a goal of educating the general medical community about the challenges that these women face.
Patrick lives with his wife Vanessa, and two sons, Timothy and Teddy, in a handicap-accessible home that they designed in Salem, NH.