A letter from Blake

Hi there! It’s Blake. This year has been amazing, and I can hardly wait for our next event to support Cure SMA, which we’re calling “Rolling Forward!” This time, we are going to do something special – a Casino Night! We are super excited for this event, but we can’t do it without you. 

I am now almost 13 years old, and am doing amazing for someone my age, just because of you! Support for SMA research from people like you has resulted in 3 FDA-approved treatments for SMA, including one I am on called Spinraza. I have improved so much since I first started on Spinraza. The lumbar puncture I get every 4 months with this magic drug has not only improved me, but also the whole SMA community! People with SMA who would have passed away before Spinraza and these other treatments were invented, are now living incredible lives, and are even walking! Babies are getting screened now at birth for SMA in 49 states, which is saving so many children from this rare and terrible disease. 

When I was young, I was too weak to even hold up my own head, but now, with these new drugs that exist because of your support, I can stand with only knee splints and bungees! But, we still need more. I still need more help! We are fighting SMA, but it is not cured. And I won’t stop until it is… until I am out of my wheelchair and living life without SMA. We still need more studies and better drugs so we can finally cure SMA! Because of support from people like you, science is closer than ever. We need to continue supporting Cure SMA so we can finally get there!

Rolling Forward is a large fundraiser where you can donate and have fun! The money raised goes straight to Cure SMA, an organization that funds really important things for SMA, including research and advocacy. Can you believe that because of sponsors like you, SMA for some has stopped progressing! But to really stop this disease and find a cure, we need kind people like you who donate to us for Cure SMA

Thank you!

Blake Farrell