SPINAL MUSCULAR ATROPHY AWARENESS MONTH

SPINAL MUSCULAR ATROPHY AWARENESS MONTH

During the month of August, Spinal Muscular Atrophy Awareness Month seeks to educate the public and generate support for those with SMA. Help us spread awareness about this diseases in hopes of finding a cure.

#CureSMA

Spinal Muscular Atrophy Awareness Month (SMA) is a genetic disease affecting 1 in 11,000 births. SMA damages motor nerve cells in the spinal cord. Those who suffer from SMA lose the ability to walk, eat and breathe without medical intervention. Spinal Muscular Atrophy Awareness Month strives to raise awareness of the condition caused by the deficiency of a motor neuron protein called SMN and other rare forms of Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) that stem from chromosome mutations.

Spinal Muscular Atrophy is a motor neuron disease characterized by the “wasting away” of nerve cells, called motor neurons, in the spinal cord. Spinal muscular atrophy is the leading genetic cause of death in babies under the age of two. It affects families of all ethnic backgrounds, often with no prior history of the disease. In the U.S. one person in every six- to ten-thousand develops the disease, and one in fifty is a carrier. All levels of SMA require varying degrees of treatment, involving some combination of medication, technology, and therapy. The good news is that many children and adults with SMA lead full, productive lives, with the proper treatment and physical therapy.

The goal of SMA Awareness is to show our support through local and national events, raise awareness, educate the general population, create funding for more research and help find a cure. Through this month-long awareness campaign and more like it annually, it is hoped to honor all those whose lives have been affected by SMA and bring about future change.

HOW TO OBSERVE

Visit www.curesma.org to learn more about Spinal Muscular Atrophy. Get involved by volunteering or making a donation. Light a candle for those who have passed away from SMA and honor those who are fighting the disease. Use #CureSMA to share on social media.

HISTORY

Spinal Muscular Atrophy Awareness Month was founded to create support and advocacy for those who battle the disease and to seek a cure.

Upcoming Dates

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