By looking at the Community Involvement page on our main website and by just taking a quick look at the sidebar on this blog, you can see that we are advocates of the Muscular Dystrophy Association. We, from time to time, like to share what we’re doing with the Eastern North Carolina MDA. Just click on the MDA logo to the left to see all that we have done in the time this blog has been on the Internet.
With all this being said, What is the MDA all about? Well, today we’re going to spell it out for you, so you can understand and hopefully share our passion in seeing a cure found. The following text is directly from the MDA official website:
MDA is the nonprofit health agency dedicated to curing muscular dystrophy, ALS and related diseases by funding worldwide research. The Association also provides comprehensive health care and support services, advocacy and education.
MDA combats neuromuscular diseases through programs of worldwide research, comprehensive medical and support services, and far-reaching professional and public health education. With national headquarters in Tucson, MDA has more than 200 offices across the country, sponsors more than 200 hospital-affiliated clinics and supports more than 330 research projects around the world.
MDA supports more research on neuromuscular diseases than any other private-sector organization in the world. MDA scientists are in the forefront of gene therapy research and have uncovered the genetic defects responsible for several forms of muscular dystrophy, Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, a form of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s disease), childhood spinal muscular atrophy and several other neuromuscular conditions.
The Association’s comprehensive services program includes diagnostic and follow-up medical consultations, flu shots, support groups, MDA summer camps for youngsters, a medical equipment loan program, assistance with equipment repairs and resource referral.
Through its national advocacy program, MDA works to make life better for people with muscular dystrophy and related muscle diseases by providing representation in matters of public policy and research advancement, nationally and internationally; and facilitating active involvement in these areas by the people it serves.
MDA was created in 1950 by a group of adults with muscular dystrophy, parents of children with muscular dystrophy and a physician-scientist studying the disorder. Since its earliest days, it has been energized by its number-one volunteer and national chairman, entertainer Jerry Lewis.
