Strength in Numbers

In the U.S., a disease is considered “rare” if it impacts fewer than 200,000 people. This broad definition encompasses almost 7,000 diseases —including those under MDA’s umbrella—and includes millions of Americans. In fact, 1 out of every 10 people in the U.S. are currently living with a disease that is classified as “rare.” When considered . . .

Read More

And the crowd goes wild!

Preston Harris, a 12-year-old from Berkeley Springs, W.Va., is a born competitor. So when he tried out for and made the Warm Springs Middle School seventh-grade basketball team, he was “very excited and pumped,” said his father, Jamie Harris. Even with his passion and grit, Preston wasn’t a shoo-in for the team, despite the hours . . .

Read More

Welcome to New York

My first trip to New York City may have been occasioned by my role in helping MDA launch our new brand. But to me, it was much bigger than that. For me, the trip was about making dreams come true and celebrating the beauty of life. It was about overcoming challenges and living life to . . .

Read More

Meet the Shamrockstars 2016: Tyler

Shamrock season is full swing! Have your local retailers gone green for MDA yet? MDA’s iconic paper Shamrocks sell for $1, $5 or more in tens of thousands of retail locations across the country each February and March and help families live longer and grow stronger. You can support MDA Shamrocks by adding this Twibbon to your social media . . .

Read More

Lowe’s Supports MDA Shamrocks Program and Summer Camps to Help Families and Children with Muscular Dystrophy

CHICAGO, Feb. 16, 2016 — Lowe’s stores nationwide unite to participate in the Muscular Dystrophy Association’s iconic Shamrocks program now through March 31. This year marks 15 years of Lowe’s Shamrocks support that helps improve lives in communities across the country and build stronger futures for kids and adults with muscular dystrophy, ALS and related . . .

Read More

Meet the Shamrockstars 2016: Fulton

Shamrock season is right around the corner! Pretty soon, your local retailers will be going green for MDA. MDA’s iconic paper Shamrocks sell for $1, $5 or more in tens of thousands of retail locations across the country each February and March and help families live longer and grow stronger. This year, MDA Shamrocks feature six kids from . . .

Read More

Walk This Way

Editor’s Note: The following post was written by Dagmar Munn for her ALS and Wellness Blog. The original can be found here. MDA republishes blog posts about life with ALS from the perspective of those who know it intimately: people with ALS, their family and friends, researchers, advocates, therapists, policymakers and others. To become a contributor, email . . .

Read More

FDA Extends Decision Deadline Date for Eteplirsen to May 26, 2016

Background: Sarepta Therapeutics announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has extended the decision goal date for eteplirsen by a standard extension period of three months. The new date by which the FDA must make a decision about whether to approve eteplirsen for the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is May 26, 2016. . . .

Read More