Join Emmett's Journey to Overcome SMA

On May 14, 2024, our family was blessed with its final member - Mr. Emmett Toth. I welcomed Emmett as my first child. Emmett came home with us on Wednesday, May 16th, to a house filled with anxious little girls who couldn't wait to hold and snuggle their new baby brother.

Emmett has been a happy, healthy, and strong baby, surrounded by love since the day he came home. For this reason, our hearts and heads could hardly come to terms with the news we received at his newborn follow-up appointment, only days after his arrival.

Emmett's newborn genetic screening revealed that Emmett tested positive for a condition called Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), and further testing confirmed that Emmett does not possess a functioning copy of a gene necessary for survival and preservation of motor function. This led to Emmett's diagnoses of SMA Type II. Without treatment, Emmett is likely to have respiratory challenges and will not have the ability to stand or walk on his own.

However, by the grace of god, our doctors identified this condition early enough to intervene and potentially stop this condition from progressing. Right now, Emmett is on a fast track to receive both lifesaving and life changing treatment.

What this means for Emmett, is that he has a fighting chance for a typical life and that one day he will be able to walk and enjoy life, just as he would have if he had been born without this condition. What this means for our family, is that we will be able to watch him grow, and that we will be able to enjoy many years with Emmett, that would have otherwise been cut short far too soon.

We are so lucky and grateful that there are treatment options available, but of course this does not mean that our lives will be unchanged. Our Schedules are presently consumed with follow-up appointments and doing everything we can to keep Emmett healthy and on track to receive treatment as soon as possible. We are asking anyone that is able to contribute to help ease the financial burden associated with uncovered medical expenses, our unexpected absences from work, and other expenses that will arise during this difficult journey to please consider contributing to our fundraiser for Emmett.