About Blake
Simply put, we golf in the hope that Blake and others like her will someday beat Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA). Blake is now 11 years old, and she is doing great! With 3 FDA approved treatments for SMA (including Spinraza, the treatment Blake has been on for years now), the SMA community is certainly changing for the better. But we are just at the beginning. Despite available treatments, SMA is still not cured, and it continues to be devastating for those affected by it.
SMA is a muscular disease that robs people like Blake of their physical strength and leaves them unable to perform basic functions like walking, eating and breathing. It is the number one genetic cause of death in infants. SMA affects about 1 in 11,000 babies, and about 1 in every 50 Americans is a genetic carrier. It affects every race and gender. Although there is no cure for SMA, there’s great reason for hope. Thanks to the dedication of our community and the ingenuity of our researchers, we now have treatments that target the underlying genetics of SMA. But our work is not done, as we continue to lose members of our community, and so many people continue to suffer from the effects of SMA. We know what we need to do to develop and deliver effective therapies. And we’re on the verge of further breakthroughs that will continue to change the course of SMA for everyone affected—from infants to adults—and eventually lead to a cure. So please join us on Saturday, July 30 for Birdies for Blake. Or please make a donation if you can’t join us. All proceeds benefit Cure SMA. Please help us beat SMA!