Alex Cao 

Hello, I am Alex and I am eleven years old. I was born with SMA Type 1 (the worst type) in 2013. SMA disrupts communication between my brain and my muscles by mutating the SMN1 gene (which creates crucial proteins for motor neuron survival and function). As a result, it produces less of this important protein, so I can’t do many things that may seem normal for you like standing or walking. I also had

a 95% chance of death at two years old and yet, I lived. When I was five years old I started taking Spinraza and later in 2023 I switched to Everysdi.

At the time of writing this I can do many things that I normally wouldn’t have been able to if SMA had had its way. 

My hobbies at the time of writing this are, piano, wheelchair soccer, swimming, chess, go (yes that’s an actual board game), reading books, playing board (and video) games, and annoying my brother (and mom). My current goal is to raise enough money through this fundraiser to get a travel wheelchair so I can visit places that aren’t flat, smooth surfaces. This is because my current electric wheelchair is too big and heavy for uneven surfaces.