SMA Angels Charity, a Savannah-based nonprofit dedicated to the fight against Spinal Muscular Atrophy, recently celebrated the approval of the first drug, Spinraza, to treat those with SMA by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. SMA is a fatal neuromuscular disease that is the number one genetic killer of children under the age of two.
 
“We are very grateful for the generous support we have received over the past 20 years in our fight to stop SMA,” said Becky West, member of SMA Angels’ fundraising committee and president of West Rehab. “We have seen tremendous advancement but we cannot stop now.  Our goal is to continue to fund crucial research, improve quality of care, provide support to local SMA families and advocate and educate about SMA.”
 
SMA Angels Charity was founded in 1999 by friends and family of twins Cassidy and Skylar Swanson. They were diagnosed with the severest form of SMA and, in efforts to help, the charity was formed.
 
“This new treatment offers patients hope for disease stabilization or improvement and raises the possibility that infants with SMA could be prevented from developing weakness if identified early enough. Early detection is critical for the effectiveness of this treatment and our hope is that SMA will soon be added to the list for newborn screening.” said Anne Meguiar, president of SMA Angels and grandmother of the twins that the charity was created for. “This is a huge step in the right direction and is only the beginning of finding the ultimate cure.”
 
SMA Angels Charity will be hosting its 20th Annual Angels Charity Ball, “A Night to Celebrate,” on Saturday, Sept. 23 at the Savannah Marriott Riverfront. The night will consist of dinner, dancing, a live auction, raffles and door prizes. Entertainment by “The Sapphire Bullets of Pure Love.” Tickets for the gala are $85 per person or a reserved table of 10 for $850.  For more details visit http://www.smaangels.org.