Strongly


An expression of the live unlimited spirit, stories and voices of the MDA community

Why We Love Our MDA Community

When Jayden Long learned four years ago that the firefighters in his hometown of Nampa, Idaho, had to work on Christmas, he devised a plan. “He wanted to deliver baked goods to the firefighters on Christmas day,” recalled his mother, Shellie. “So we baked just about all night and delivered trays of food to three . . .

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Accessing Deflazacort: What You Need to Know

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in August accepted Marathon Pharmaceuticals’ New Drug Application for deflazacort for the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) and granted Priority Review. A decision on deflazacort, which previously has received Fast Track status, Orphan Drug designation and Rare Pediatric Disease status from the FDA, is anticipated in February . . .

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Simply Stated: What is Muscular Dystrophy?

Muscular dystrophy is a term that refers to a number of diseases that cause progressive loss of muscle mass resulting in weakness and, sometimes, loss of mobility. There are many different kinds of muscular dystrophy, each affecting different groups of muscles. In some types of muscular dystrophy, symptoms begin in childhood. In other forms, symptom . . .

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MDA and RYR-1 Foundation Team Up in the Fight Against RYR1-Related Myopathies

MDA and RYR-1 Foundation have announced a partnership aimed at advancing research and clinical care, raising awareness and improving education of patients, medical professionals and the public about RYR1-related myopathies. The partnership represents a key step in MDA’s commitment to form collaborative relationships with other organizations working on the same diseases MDA covers. “MDA is . . .

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Born Determined: 10-Year-Old Michigan Girl With Myotonic Dystrophy Defies Limits Every Day

myotonic dystrophy Kayla living unlimited by running on the track

Fabiola and Matthew watched their daughter run one lap. Then two. Then three. Kayla rounded the same bend again and again, a look etched on her face that her parents knew well — determination.

All in all, the 10-year-old ran nine laps at the Grand Rapids, Mich., Juniors River Bank Run. Other kids may have run more, but to Kayla and her parents, those nine laps were a marathon. They were as big as beating Usain Bolt in the 100-meter.

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First Appeal for FDA to Review Translarna Denied

PTC Therapeutics shared the latest news today on efforts to make its experimental drug Translarna available in the U.S. for the treatment of some forms of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). The company reported that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has denied its first appeal that a New Drug Application for Translarna be accepted . . .

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Meet the MDA Resource Specialists: Mandy

MDA Resource CenterMDA resource specialist Mandy Behling used to think that living unlimited meant swimming with the sharks and climbing Mt. Everest. However, she has come to find that living unlimited means more than just traveling the world and seeking out grandiose adventures.

“Now I think that living unlimited means pushing myself just a little harder than I thought possible the day before,” she says.

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