The individuals and families in our neuromuscular community have always been the heart of MDA’s mission. MDA’s Family Support Team executes a variety of programs that empower individuals and families on their journeys. As another year ends, and the new year is ramping up, the Family Support Team is proud to reflect on services provided . . .
As the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) continues our commitment to empowering people living with neuromuscular disease, we are excited to kick off our 2022 blog series: “Quest for Success”. Success looks different to everyone and this monthly blog will detail the different paths that individuals with neuromuscular disease have taken to reach their potential and . . .
For the first six months following her amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) diagnosis, Valerie Geerer’s instinct was to keep the news to herself. “My husband and close family and friends knew, but I didn’t feel comfortable sharing it with co-workers or acquaintances,” she says. Then she met Dora Sementilli. Like Valerie, Dora was in her 50s . . .
It’s no secret that alcohol consumption can have an impact on one’s health. Some studies have shown benefits for the heart and circulatory system from moderate drinking. On the other hand, alcohol is known to depress the central nervous system and can destroy brain cells. Excessive drinking over a prolonged period of time can cause . . .
For 18 years, Linda VanVliet spent most of her non-working time taking care of her daughter, Shelby, who was diagnosed with congenital muscular dystrophy at 3 years old. (That diagnosis was later changed to titin myopathy.) Linda’s work as a school nurse also allowed her to step in quickly when Shelby needed care. “For a . . .
Located at more than 150 of the top healthcare institutions across the United States, MDA Care Centers serve as the nexus for expert clinical care and medical research. Our Care Center Network offers tens of thousands of appointments each year for individuals living with muscular dystrophy, ALS, and other neuromuscular diseases. These appointments provide individuals . . .
When the COVID-19 pandemic emerged in March 2020, Matthew Lawson’s employer — like many others around the country — temporarily closed its doors and had team members go remote to prevent spread of the virus. Matthew, an IT manager for Abilities in Motion in Reading, Pennsylvania, soon realized that working from home would not be . . .
Researchers at Ohio State University are seeking adults living with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease type 1 (CMT-1) and type 2 (CMT-2) to participate in a one-month observational study (CMT Establish). This study is designed to assess whether individuals with CMT-1 and CMT-2 exhibit altered communication between nerves and muscles, known as neuromuscular junction (NMJ) transmission, compared to healthy . . .
With age often comes the maturity and grace to accept the world and oneself. That’s a good thing, because it takes every bit of that maturity to differentiate the aging process from the progression of a neuromuscular disease. Neuromuscular disease comes with certain physical limitations that can also look like aging — loss of strength, . . .
After years of denial, it was the stairs to his second-floor college apartment that forced Chris Anselmo to finally face his limb-girdle muscular dystrophy (LGMD) in 2009. “I remember moving in, trying to carry things like my desk chair to the top of the stairs, and just feeling completely weak and exhausted by the time I reached . . .
