State Personal Achievement Award Recipients

Initiated in 1992, the national awards program recognizes the accomplishments and community service of adults over 18 with disabilities related to any of the diseases in MDA’s program.

The awards were renamed in honor of Robert Ross, MDA’s longtime chief executive, who died in June 2006. Ross created the Personal Achievement Award program to educate the public that disability is no obstacle to accomplishment.

Each local MDA chapter selects a local recipient; all local recipients automatically are considered for a state award. Then, all state award recipients are considered for the national award, which is announced every year on MDA's Labor Day weekend show.

Click on any state to view a bio of its 2011 PAA recipient (ages reflect the recipient's age at the time the award was given in 2011).

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  • John Sturman, 44
    Spinal muscular atrophy
    Casper, Wyo.

    Diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) at age 5, John Sturman has been in a power chair for most of his life. As a child, Sturman served as a local MDA goodwill ambassador in the days when they were still called "poster children." He has many fond memories of attending MDA summer camp, where he developed a lifelong love of fishing. Sturman remains active with MDA, and also enjoys online games and teaching others about computers.

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