Closer to a Cure
February 4, 2004 by · Leave a Comment
Just wanted to share the good news with all of you. They are getting closer every day to a cure. On another note, Savanna received her manual wheelchair today and we are closing on our new home tomorrow. It will be a busy week for us.
Dear Members and Supporters of Families of Spinal Muscular Atrophy,
Families of SMA announced today that its Scientific Advisory Board has awarded 10 new grants that will improve the understanding and Spinal Muscular Atrophy and hopefully bring us closer to a treatment and cure for this disease. These grants are part of an ongoing commitment to funding top scientific research into SMA around the world.
Since its inception, Families of SMA has funded more than $16 million in research. This year’s grants are in addition to FSMA’s $5.2 million drug discovery program being conducted by deCODE Genetics.
“The funding of basic science and the dedicated efforts of many scientists has led to significant progress in identifying some of the key pieces of the SMA puzzle,” said Dr. Chris Spancake, Families of SMA Research Director. “Without the investment in basic research and good science we would not have the key pieces to the puzzle to be where we are today. It is equally important to recognize that without basic research in the future we will not have the additional pieces needed to solve the SMA puzzle. The grants awarded today represent a mix of basic research and next steps.”
For more information about these grants and other SMA research, please see http://www.fsma.org/res_grants2004.shtml
Our thanks go out to every chapter and individual who makes the effort to raise funds for a cure. It is because of your commitment and hard work that the needed research can be funded.
Together we will find a cure for SMA!
Audrey Lewis
audrey@fsma.org
http://www.fsma.org