Life changes forever for a family who’s been hit with the diagnosis of a chronic health condition. And for some families in Nebraska, that same diagnosis may mean that adaptations and specialized equipment are required moving forward. This equipment can be expensive, and families don’t always have access to insurance or other financial assistance to help offset the costs. Fortunately, several of Community Health Charities of Nebraska’s (CHC-NE) 22 member charities offer equipment loan programs to make sure that families have access to this valuable support.
Donor Dollars Help Send Children to Summer Camp
This summer, children will be attending summer camps put on by five of Community Health Charities of Nebraska’s charities. These camps give them the traditional summer camp experience while also allowing them to meet and spend time with other kids who share the same medical needs and experiences they do.
Medical Research Update: ALS Treatment Approved
MDA’s Shamrocks Helping Local Nebraska Families for 35 Years
When Ruth and Kody McCain’s first son was about 18 months old, he was diagnosed with Partial Merosin Congenital Muscular Dystrophy, a genetic condition where both parents are carriers but do not generally have symptoms of the disease. With this diagnosis, the couple learned that there was a 1 in 4 chance that their other children would have it.
Medical Research Update: MDA's Spinraza
During the last week of December 2016, the FDA formally approved a new drug from Biogen called Spinraza (nusinersen) for the treatment of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA.) Just five years ago, there were no approved therapies to treat the underlying cause of SMA. MDA has funded foundational work in SMA and invested nearly $750,000 in awards for early-stage development of nusinersen. Since its inception, MDA has invested more than $45 million in SMA research. This breakthrough will help Nebraskans like Ollie and is only possible because of your gifts.