For almost her entire life, Andrea has had epilepsy, a disease that leads her to have to seizures of the mild and moderate variety. Her young son, meanwhile, has accommodative esotropia with strabismus, which can lead to partial blindness if not treated. Most people in her situation would have little time for helping others. Not Andrea. She not only helps others dealing with issues similar to those of her family, but also spends her time volunteering to help raise awareness and funds for research into spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a disease to which she has no direct connection. She’s also turned herself into a self-educated insurance expert who is willing to help anyone at any time who has been denied an insurance claim.
Andrea is the interview subject of the latest episode of Fighting Back, a podcast that features inspirational stories of people and families fighting serious or incurable diseases. Fight SMA and its program, FighterMom, produce the podcast series. Fight SMA is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to accelerating a cure for spinal muscular atrophy. FighterMom, which was developed by Fight SMA, provides support and education for any mother who is fighting against a disease or disorder affecting her child.
“Andrea is amazing, and I’m glad we had a chance to profile her,” said Fight SMA President Martha Slay. “The FighterMom program is full of amazing mothers who, each in their own ways, are showing that to fight a disease you have to be proactive.”
To listen to Fighting Back, you can visit the Spinal Muscular Atrophy Blog by Fight SMA (http://www.fightsma.org/
About Fight SMA
Headquartered in Richmond, Virginia, Fight SMA (also known as Andrew's Buddies) is an international nonprofit group dedicated to accelerating research for a treatment or a cure for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a neuromuscular disorder that kills more babies than any other genetic disease. For more information on spinal muscular atrophy and Fight SMA, please visit http://www.fightsma.org .
About FighterMom
Developed by the founders of Fight SMA, the FighterMom program provides information and support for parents who have become advocates fighting a disease affecting their child. The FighterMom Community includes message boards, a news blog, the ability for visitors to create their own blogs, and the Fighting Back Podcast, which features inspirational stories of people and families fighting serious or incurable diseases. The community provides a place for FighterMoms to gather and trade information and support. For more information, please visit http://www.fightsma.org/
