Run for Pyper

Pyper was born with Spinal Muscular Atrophy Type II (SMA) which is a form of Muscular Dystrophy. SMA is a genetic muscle disease which causes all of the muscles in the body to atrophy/weaken as one ages. SMA severely and progressively restricts movement and impacts breathing, eating, and speech, but does not affect cognitive ability whatsoever. The cause of this disease is the absence of the SMN1 gene (survival gene). There is no cure.

Heather, is Pyper’s mother and as a single mom, she is the primary caregiver for her daughter who requires round-the-clock care. This has been a challenging role since day one, no doubt, but as Pyper ages and grows, the physical challenges have become incredibly difficult for Heather, who has already suffered injuries due to the constant lifting and carrying.