Former TOWIE star Kelsey Stratford is hosting a glamorous evening of fundraising this Thursday (18th August) to raise money for Spinal Muscular Atrophy UK (SMA UK).
Kelsey, who is an ambassador for the charity, is hoping to raise as much as possible to help support those affected by SMA, like her 9-year-old sister Kennedy.
SMA is a genetically inherited condition which causes muscle weakness and until recently, there were no treatments available. However, three potential treatments have been made available by pharmaceutical companies over the past five years and, thanks to the advocacy of charities like SMA UK, these are now available to some patients through the NHS.
Kelsey says “I am really excited to be holding this event for a cause that is so close to mine and my families hearts. I hope that we can raise awareness about Kennedy’s condition as well as some money which will help others like her.”
The event falls in SMA Awareness Month and will help SMA UK to spread the word about their most recent campaign, which is calling for newborn screening for SMA to be introduced in the UK.
Charity CEO Angela Smith-Morgan explains why this is so important “To ensure the best possible reaction to treatment, it is essential that babies are treated for SMA before symptoms develop, by which point damage to neurons is irreversible. Newborn screening is the quickest route to a diagnosis of SMA and should be introduced today. The UK lags behind many other European countries and babies are missing this critical treatment window.”
If you would like to donate and support Kelsey’s fundraising please go to https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/SMA-UK-Kennedy-Foundation
