The Summit of Strength is a community educational program crafted to provide people of all ages and types of SMA and their caregivers the opportunity to network and learn about the latest advances in treatment, care, advocacy, and support.
About the Summit of Strength Program
The Summit of Strength Program is a free half-day educational and networking event hosted by Cure SMA, made available for people of all ages and types of SMA and their caregivers.
Register today for your local summit and get ready to connect with your community and learn about the latest advances in treatment, care, advocacy, and support. In bringing together national and local experts, Summits of Strength offer an incredible opportunity to have all of your questions answered in an intimate setting.
This program is currently in its eighth year, after seven successful years of bringing together over 6,000 attendees from across the U.S. By the end of 2025, Cure SMA will have held over 125 of these local programs.
This local engagement highlights Cure SMA’s core values and further strengthens the bonds that make our communities so vibrant!
Join Us for Summits of Strength
-
Connect with Peers
Take advantage of the opportunity to network and connect with peers and presenters.
-
Advance Your Knowledge
Learn about a wide variety of topics in these educational presentations, with a unique agenda at each event.
-
Meet with Experts
Get your important questions answered as you interact with local and national professionals.
Cure SMA Story Spotlight
Making Waves:
Doug McCullough's Story
Before connecting with Cure SMA years ago, Doug McCullough had never met anyone else who had SMA. Doug has SMA Type 3 and works hard to promote inclusion of people with disabilities. He is an avid sports fan and participates in adaptive sports, such as cycling, kayaking, snow and water skiing, surfing, canoeing, and camping.
Those in the SMA community often feel a roller coaster of emotions as they face diagnosis, treatment, and daily life. “Despite the historical stigma of disabilities, I never thought of myself as disabled growing up and worked to hide my ‘shortcomings’ as much as possible. I learned SMA doesn’t define me, but it is part of who I am,” said Doug.
Lighting Up the Night:
Shaakira Thomas and Family
Shaakira and her husband, Parris Sr., are parents to Aaliyah, Kassian, and four-year-old Parris Jr., who was diagnosed with SMA. Shaakira and Parris Sr. first noticed something amiss when Parris Jr. started walking. “He had a little wobble, and it took until just before his third birthday for us to get a diagnosis of SMA,” shared Shaakira.
Despite her son’s challenges, Shaakira believes that SMA has made her family stronger. Shaakira helps support the SMA community by researching buildings that ‘light up’ for days of recognition and ensuring major landmarks across the US go purple to raise SMA awareness.
Getting in the Game:
Brady Chan and Family
Ten-year-old Brady Chan from North Carolina has big goals that stem from his passion for video games. He is part of an e-gaming team, where his favorite games include “Brawl Starts” and “Overwatch.” In the future, Brady hopes to become an engineer and create his own video games.
Brady was diagnosed with SMA at 18 months old. Mimi, Brady’s mom says “Brady is a confident, young man with a magnetic personality. He loves reading, learning, gaming, and writing poetry. Brady loves conversation and has never had problems making friends. He does, however, see very clearly that SMA keeps him from doing things his friends can do. Sometimes, that’s okay. He doesn’t have to play on the mulched playground, and instead created a soccer crew.”
Thank You to Our Sponsors
National Presenting
National Visionary
National Gold
