This April, the Emslie-Smith family & friends will be running, swimming, scooter-ing, walking and wheeling as part of SMA UK’s ‘40 for 40’ Challenge, to mark their 40th anniversary as a charity.

Some of us will be in sunny Scotland, at the Run Balmoral event in Deeside, and some in sunny California, but, between us, we’ll be covering (hopefully well-)over 80 miles; 40 for the past 40 years of the Charity and 40 (and a bit extra) for the next 40 years and beyond! As a family team, Tom will be running 30 miles over the two days, Matthew & Suraiya will be attempting a ‘Sprint Triathlon’ and two-year-old Florence will be burning up a mile on her scooter! Louise, Katy, Alistair, Archie and Sarah will be clocking up the miles too.

Spinal Muscular Atrophy (the condition Alistair - our husband/dad(-in-law)/grandpa - lives with) is a rare neuromuscular disorder resulting in (often severe) muscle wasting. The charity SMA UK, of which Alistair is a Trustee, works towards a vision that everyone affected by SMA will have access to the best care, support and treatment and that there will be no barriers preventing full inclusion in society.

As a family, we’re all too familiar with the disabling challenges that SMA presents for the lives of individuals and families who live with the condition. Some of those are visible, many are not. In children, SMA can be particularly life-changing and, if untreated, life-limiting. That’s why, alongside fundraising, we also hope to raise awareness of the condition, SMA UK’s work and what everyone can do to be an advocate for disabled people in our Society.

We’re so grateful for your support, whether that’s by way of a financial donation or a commitment to support by other means. It means a great deal to us all.

Lots of love, Katy, Alistair, Tom, Louise, Florence, Matthew, Suraiya, Sarah & Archie xxx

Find out more about SMA UK

Watch: SMA UK end of 2024 video

Established for almost 40 years, SMA UK are a charity that supports, campaigns and advocates so that everyone affected by Spinal Muscular Atrophy can access the best care, services and treatments, and benefit from continued research. We offer adults, young people, parents, relatives and friends emotional support, practical advice and guidance from our experienced team and provide reliable health and social care information about SMA. We also provide and distribute free multisensory toy packs for infants who are diagnosed with SMA.