Clinical trials are research studies in which people help doctors find ways to improve health and care. Studies try to answer scientific questions, and to find better ways to prevent, diagnose or treat disease. Anyone who has participated in a clinical trial that tests a medication or other treatment knows that the protocol is highly regulated.
When people in our neuromuscular community hear the word "advocate," they often think of the individual living with a neuromuscular disease and their active voice for change.
But to many, the title of "advocate' is synonymous with "mom."
Allison Kassir is a dedicated advocate for our neuromuscular community. Kassir has been involved in promoting and supporting the rights of her family and our community for many years.
“You don't have to love politics to be an advocate … I think advocacy comes very naturally for moms and parents. Whether you call us mama grizzlies or mother warriors, it's what we do to take care of our children. We are experts at organizing and sharing resources and information! Reach out to friends; reach out to your community leaders; reach out to your congressional representatives.”
— Allison Kassir
Government Relations Adviser
King & Spalding
Washington, D.C.
April-May 2011
4•ALS: MDA Teams Up with Major League Baseball to Raise ALS Awareness
On the baseball field, Lou Gehrig was unstoppable. Despite numerous injuries, including 17 hand fractures, he played in 2,130 consecutive games (a major league record for 56 years).
In 1986, the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) was established as a component of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to support research on diseases affecting the MDA community.
