SMA Awareness Month
| August is
National Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) Awareness Month! How
many of you out there even knew there was such a thing as SMA?; much
less that there is a national month to be aware of SMA? August is
traditionally the time of year when we all start thinking about
back-to-school stuff. What better time to become aware of a
disease that is killing thousands of children each year?
Does your state have a day set aside to recognize this disease? Utah does! August 15 has been declared Utah SMA Awareness Day by Governor Mike Leavitt! We are proud to recognize SMA. |
Click on the picture below to read our gubernatorial declaration!
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Not familiar with SMA? Most people aren't! Let me give you some quick SMA facts: *SMA IS THE NUMBER ONE GENETIC KILLER OF INFANTS AND CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF TWO! *SMA is a neuromuscular disease that affects all voluntary movement such as crawling, walking, and standing. SMA can also affect respiratory functions and swallowing. *SMA causes muscles to atrophy and lose use of all functions leading to respiratory paralysis and death *There are many types of SMA, from birth to adult onset. *There is no cure for SMA, but there is GREAT HOPE with new medical research!
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