Education

Profiles in STEM

Although students with disabilities indicate interest and intent to pursue science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) careers at the same rates as students without disabilities, they do not receive an undergraduate degree or pursue STEM graduate studies at the same rates. This fact was reported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in 2021. They also cited several barriers, for people with disabilities, including lack of recruitment and engagement and an absence of mentors and role models.

The Hidden Benefits of Volunteering

Blaine, a 6-year-old black lab, is assistance dog extraordinaire to Bella Andrade, 19, who lives with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) and uses a power wheelchair. Receiving Blaine from the Minnesota nonprofit Can Do Canines in October 2017 was a life-changing gift for Bella. With a verbal command, Blaine will open a drawer, push a handicap door access button, or retrieve a dropped pen or smart phone.

STEM Connections

As part of MDA's STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) Connections program, MDA representatives sat down with experts from General Motors (GM) in July 2021 to discuss STEM education and careers.The panel was co-moderated by MDA Ambassadors Justin Moy and Amanda Zurek, both of whom are pursuing careers in STEM-based fields, and it featured engineers, designers, and innovators from GM. Together, they discussed their experiences with STEM careers, how they are working to improve accessibility and address sustainability, and the importance of encouraging youth of all abilities and backgrounds to enter STEM-based fields.

Addressing Vaccine Concerns

To avoid getting seriously sick from COVID-19, healthcare providers and public health experts recommend that everybody who is eligible receive the COVID-19 vaccine.Vaccines have been protecting Americans from dangerous contagious diseases for decades. Thanks to vaccines, polio and mumps are rare today, and smallpox has been eliminated. (To learn more about vaccine history and safety, read " Are Vaccines Safe?")

Education Within Reach

To make planning for and going to college easier for students with neuromuscular disease, MDA launched a new online workshop called Access to Education: Higher Education. This no-cost educational program, available on-demand, offers an overview of common considerations, tips for choosing a school, information on financial preparation, and guidance on finding support if students encounter access barriers during their higher education experience.

How to Make a Decision About a Clinical Trial

Colleen and Chris Labbadia of Geneva, Fla., became concerned when their son, Brendan, was slow meeting early physical milestones. He was diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) before his second birthday, and when he was 4, they enrolled him in a clinical trial for an experimental drug. "It was the hope for a better future for Brendan," Colleen says.

MDA Q&A: Top of Mind

You don’t have to navigate your neuromuscular disease journey alone. The MDA Resource Center is available to provide one-on-one support. Here, Resource Center specialists answer Quest readers’ top questions. Q: I have oculopharyngeal muscular dystrophy (OPMD). Is COVID-19 vaccination safe for people with neuromuscular disease? Are there any side effects?

Support for Your Journey

Why do people contact the MDA Resource Center? There are a lot of reasons, according to Brooke Smith, associate director of the Resource Center.It could be that they or a family member was recently diagnosed with a neuromuscular disease, and they need information about the disease or want to find an MDA Care Center.

Plan for a Bright Future

Josie Badger, DHCE, CRC, has used everything that life has handed her, including her disability, to pursue her dreams. Diagnosed with congenital myasthenic syndrome (CMS) at age 11, Josie now relies on a ventilator, power wheelchair, and 24-hour care. While many would see such challenges as a roadblock to pursuing an occupation, she has used them to fuel a career she is passionate about: advocating for disability rights.

Disability… or Superpower?

When I Google the definition of the word “disability,” this is what is returned: a physical or mental condition that limits a person’s movements, senses, or activities. Period. End of story. That’s all they have to say about that.But I have my own definition of disability. I define it as an opportunity to learn or heighten skills like positivity, determination, problem-solving, and about a billion others. It is a differentiator. (Who wants to be like everyone else, anyway?) It is an opportunity to do hard things and show the world the ease with which you can pull them off. It is an opportunity to laugh at the surprising and ridiculous things that occur daily. And it is a tool you can employ — just by existing and being who you are — to impact people around you with lessons on compassion, kindness, and open-mindedness.

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MDA Resource Center: We’re Here For You

Our trained specialists are here to provide one-on-one support for every part of your journey. Send a message below or call us at 1-833-ASK-MDA1 (1-833-275-6321). If you live outside the U.S., we may be able to connect you to muscular dystrophy groups in your area, but MDA programs are only available in the U.S.

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