Community Perspectives

As I reflect on 2024, I see that some great things have happened for me. I’m trying to figure out how to multiply those great things so they happen more often. This is…

Many things help me live with SMA, but light plays a special role in my life. There is actual physical light, such as from the sun, and then there’s the light of hope. I’ve written a lot…

Our baby Jeffrey, who was diagnosed with SMA in July 1997, made the most of his brief earthly stint. I’ve mentioned before that our SMA duty, which lasted mere weeks between Jeffrey’s diagnosis and his death, enabled us…

If you have SMA or care for someone with the disease, you’ll know what I mean when I say we get sweaty. At first I thought it was just me, but then I read somewhere…

It’s somehow already time for Thanksgiving, the designated day for us to give thanks for our blessings. Ideally, we should designate a few more days each year to doing that — like, say, the other 364 — but one day a year…

Living with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) often means facing many hardships and uncertainties. With physical limitations, emotional hurdles, and complex medical issues, SMA is constantly shaping and shifting my life. Though these are the realities…

Individually and collectively, it’s vital to be sensitive to what’s happening in the world around us. This awareness allows us to be empathetic and strive for change that improves society for ourselves and others. The SMA and…

Writing is a kind of magic — a spell woven with intention and purpose. It’s more than just a passion; it’s my superpower. I can bridge the gap between myself and the world through words, expressing empathy,…

Since July, my family has been converting the garage space in our new house into my own bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, and medical supply room. We’ve faced one challenge after another as we prepare to move. Currently, I…

I consider myself an optimist, at least most of the time. Life has hurled more than a few lemons our way over the years; thankfully, I like lemonade. In 1997, when my husband, Randy, lost his job mere…