Ok, folks, I've got a little project here.. I'm trying to raise funds for an MDA "stride and ride" event and was trying to think of who I know that might be willing to donate a small amount to a good cause. I was thinking of all the peeps I come in contact with on a daily basis (about 2.. I'm a Flash geek who works from home.. haha..) and then I realized that my web site gets a ton of visitors each day. I normally don't go around asking folks to donate for this or that, but this is a bit different. Read on.

So the fundraiser is for the local chapter of the MDA, but more importantly it's really important to one of my nephews, Alex, who has Spinal Muscular Atrophy. If you've never heard of it then count yourself lucky because it probably means that no one close to you has been afflicted with it. It's a crippling and life shortening disorder that affects 1 in 6000 babies and 1 in 40 people carry the gene for this. So while it's "rare", it's also quite common. It affects the neurons that control muscles needed to move about, as well as muscles for things like swallowing and breathing.

And here's what this fundraiser is all about.. Alex is an amazing kid, and I've watched him get weaker and weaker through his years. He's been in a wheelchair so long I can't remember him not being in one. He's happy, has a lot of interests, and has experienced a lot in life already, but children shouldn't have to go through this, and parents shouldn't have to watch their child slowly grow weaker and weaker. There is hope that research into gene therapy will lead to a cure. But that research requires money.

Some details from the wikipedia entry on SMA:
"The course of SMA is directly related to the severity of weakness. Infants with the severe form of SMA frequently succumb to respiratory disease due to weakness of the muscles that support breathing. Children with milder forms of SMA naturally live much longer although they may need extensive medical support, especially those at the more severe end of the spectrum.

Although gene replacement strategies are being tested in animals, current treatment for SMA consists of prevention and management of the secondary effect of chronic motor unit loss. It is likely that gene replacement for SMA will require many more years of investigation before it can be applied to humans. "

So I'm asking you to Please donate a few dollars .. five dollars.. even just ONE.. anything.. the money will help provide medical care for kids like Alex, help them buy wheelchairs, and also help with research to find a cure. You can donate online. You can donate anonymously. You can pay by check.