Still getting over that crazy Super Bowl game?! If you’re an Eagles or Patriots fan, you might need abit more time to gloat/recover – but for the rest of us, there is a nice story that reminds us that at the end of the day – we’re all so alike, despite our health.
Last Super Bowl Sunday, ESPN aired a feature-length documentary on Alyssa Silva – a young woman living with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA).
Affecting approximately 1 in 10,000 people, spinal muscular atrophy is a rare genetic disorder that causes mild to severe muscle weakness and degeneration. The types of spinal muscular atrophy vary based on severity and age the condition was developed.
The film is called Dare to be Remarkable – and it chronicles Alyssa’s life with SMA, as well as her lifelong love for the New England Patriots.
And bravo to ESPN to cover a different type of fighter!
Alyssa is also a columnist for SMA News Today – a news and information website dedicated to the SMA community.
“I tried being as open and vulnerable as possible during this process in order to really show the world the ups and downs of SMA,” says Alyssa. “I even brought the crew with me into the operating room to film my Spinraza injection.”
“Dare to be Remarkable” takes a closer look into the struggles and triumphs of living with a rare condition – infused with the extraordinary accomplishment of a young woman with a passion for live, football, and her Pats.
“I’ve always been inspired by [the Patriots’] hard work on the field; but after getting a closer look at what takes place off the field, I am more inspired to not let this disease hold me back from doing the things I am passionate about. The class and character exemplified by the Patriots is admirable and something we should all aspire to be like. I really hope that by filming this, the world gets the same message.”
