Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) is a terminal and degenerative disease that causes weakness and wasting of the voluntary muscles in infants and children. Specifically, the disease is caused by a missing gene known as the survival motor neuron gene (SMN1), which is responsible for the production of a protein essential to motor neurons. Without this protein, lower motor neurons in the spinal cord degenerate and die. As the motor neuron network breaks down, the ability of the brain to control muscles diminishes and with less control and use, muscles weaken and waste away. Simply, SMA eventually impacts every muscle in the body hindering the ability to walk, sit, stand, eat, breathe, and swallow.

Approximately 1 in every 40 people are carriers of the disease and 1 in 10,000 babies born each year and roughly 1 in every 10,000 babies are born with SMA. With the newly approved treatment, the SMA community has hope. Our organization is committed to raising awareness about SMA, advancing funding for research, and providing education and support to individuals and families that have been affected by this disease.

The Muscular Dystrophy Association has more information on SMA here.