Fight SMA/Spinal Muscular Atrophy

The Fight SMA/Spinal Muscular Atrophy is an international, non-profit organization dedicated to accelerating a treatment or cure for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), the leading inherited killer of children under two. Spinal muscular atrophy that is caused by a deletion of the SMN gene on chromosome 5 is an inherited progressive neuromuscular disorder characterized by degeneration of groups of nerve cells (motor nuclei) within the lowest region of the brain (lower brainstem) and certain motor neurons in the spinal cord (anterior horn cells). Typical symptoms are a slowly progressive muscle weakness and muscle wasting (atrophy).