Meet Champion, Emma

When Emma was an infant, her pediatrician noticed she was missing milestones and referred her to Seattle Children’s Hospital. A blood test confirmed Spinal Muscular Atrophy Type 1 (SMA), a disease that weakens muscles and at that time, was once almost always fatal by age two. Just months before her diagnosis, the first treatment for SMA was FDA-approved, thanks mainly to philanthropy. At eight months, Emma received her first dose. Still, SMA affected her breathing and swallowing. She spent time in the intensive care unit, needed a ventilator at night, and a gastrostomy tube for nutrition. The medical costs piled up until Seattle Children’s financial assistance program stepped in, relieving the burden so her family could focus on her care. Today, eight-year-old Emma thrives. She loves reading, writing, and drawing, and is known for cheering on her classmates. With dreams of becoming a scientist, Emma inspires everyone around her.