Participants raced along the pathway at Fairy Lake in Newmarket Saturday to support the 22nd annual Rebecca Run for Spinal Muscular Atrophy.
Runners took part in a five kilometre route and a kids' fun run, or participated in a virtual event of their own, to help individuals and their families living with spinal muscular atrophy by raising $100,000 this year. To date, the event has raised more than $2.3 million for Cure SMA Canada.
Rebecca Run was the vision of run director Louise Smith when her niece, Rebecca, was diagnosed with SMA at the age of two.
Every year more than 120 volunteers from across Ontario come together and work diligently on the Rebecca Run to help to raise awareness and research dollars.
Since 2002, more than $2.8 million has been raised through the Rebecca Run for SMA.
Facts about SMA:
- SMA is the No. 1 genetic killer of children under the age two.
- SMA destroys the nerves that control voluntary movement like crawling, walking, head and neck control and even swallowing.
- One in 6,000 babies is born with SMA.
- 50 per cent of the children diagnosed before the age two will die before their 2nd birthday.
- One in 40 people carry the gene.
