Health care and support services:

MDA’s comprehensive services program helps individuals and their families meet the challenges imposed by chronic, progressive muscle diseases through:

 

• A national network of some 200 medical clinics staffed by experts in neuro- muscular diseases, including 41 clinics designated as MDA/ALS centers.  In Houston MDA funds an adult and ALS clinic at the Methodist Neurological Institute and pediatric clinic at Texas Children’s hospital

• Local support groups and events for individuals and families

• Assistance locating, obtaining and repairing needed durable medical equipment

• Online opportunities to connect, share and learn through online communities, care coordination tools and webinars

• Summer camps: Each year, kids in the Houston Gulf- Coast ages 6-17 attend a free week- long accessible summer camp session in Burton, Texas where they get to be “just kids”

Thanks to MDA-funded research:

• Disease-causing genetic mutations have been identified for most of the diseases in its program

• Clinical trials of potential therapies are under way in Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophies, spinal muscular atrophy, ALS and other diseases

• The largest drug discovery project for ALS to date is being conducted at the ALS Therapy Development Institute

• Optimal care guidelines have been devel- oped for several rare conditions

• A lifesaving enzyme replacement therapy has been developed for Pompe disease

​​​Public and professional health education:​

• Online and in print, MDA offers a vast library of information about research, clinical trials, health care and daily living strategies. MDA also regularly convenes international scientific meetings and conferences for researchers and MDA clinic directors.

• Advocacy: MDA represents the needs of the neuromuscular disease community in matters of public policy and research advancement, and facilitates involvement in these areas by the people it serves.