An expression of the live unlimited spirit, stories and voices of the MDA community
Quinn Anton-Jensen, Age 9 Hiawatha, IA Home and Family Quinn lives with his mom, dad, and two older brothers; Grant who is 15 and Drew who is 12. The family pet is a Shitzu-Poodle named Madison-Belle. Quinn is the only one in his family affected with SMA. Diagnosis Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a genetic . . .
Lindsay Cochran, Age 11 Gardner, KS Home and Family Lindsay lives with her mom and dad, Tracy and Walt, and brother, Trenton. Diagnosis Lindsay was diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy Type 2 in May 2004, at 8 months old, and relies on a power wheelchair for all of her mobility. Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is . . .
Brayden Tiernan, Age 6 Fairdale, KY Home and Family Brayden is the son of Patrick and Rebecca Tiernan. He has 2 brothers, a dog and 2 cats. Diagnosis Brayden has Charcot Marie Tooth disease (CMT). CMT causes muscle weakness and atrophy, and some loss of sensation in the feet, the lower legs, the hands and . . .
Rivers Lacrouts, Age 11 Metairie, LA Home and Family Rivers lives in the Greater New Orleans area and has a pet dog named Raven. He is a happy spirit and is very well-spoken. His mom says he has never met a stranger! Diagnosis Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a genetic disease affecting the part of . . .
Jared Conant, Age 10 Yarmouth, ME Home and Family Jared lives with his father Barry and new puppy, Autumn. Diagnosis Jared was diagnosed with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) at the age of 8. DMD is a genetic disorder characterized by progressive muscle degeneration and weakness. DMD is caused by an absence of dystrophin, a protein . . .
Kourtney Rivers, Age 13 Severn, MD Home and Family Kourtney lives with her mom Jackie, dad Tom, and their 2 dogs, Ruby and Lily. Diagnosis Kourtney was diagnosed when she was a year old with Myotonic Muscular Dystrophy, a form of muscular dystrophy that affects muscles and many other organs in the body. MMD causes . . .
David Corley Jr., Age 12 Plymouth, MA Home and Family David lives with his mom, grandparents and younger sister Chloe. Diagnosis David is affected by Charcot Marie Tooth (CMT), a genetic neurological disorder that causes damage to his peripheral nerves – tracts of nerve cell fibers that connect his brain and spinal cord to muscles . . .
Matthew Bishop, Age 12 New Lothrop, MI Home and Family Matt lives with his parents, Colleen and Thomas, and his younger sister, Emma. The family also has a yellow lab named Molly and a cat named Sylvie. Diagnosis When Matt was 7, he was diagnosed with Friedreich’s Ataxia by the MDA Clinic at Children’s Hospital . . .
Donovan Carlson, Age 16 Woodbury, MN Home and Family Donovan lives with his mom Jenny, brother, Levi and service dog Buffy. Diagnosis Donovan was diagnosed with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy at age 5. Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a genetic disorder characterized by progressive muscle degeneration and weakness. DMD is caused by an absence of dystrophin, . . .
Lauren Becvar, Age 17 Cary, NC Home and Family Lauren lives with her parents and 15 year old brother. Diagnosis Lauren is living with Myasthenia gravis (MG), which is an autoimmune disease — a disease that occurs when the immune system attacks the body’s own tissues. In MG, that attack interrupts the connection between nerve . . .
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