A lot is going on for MDP United. We’re trying to become non-profit. We’re working towards some online fundraisers. We have our advocates program going in full force and a lot more!

Check Out our Zazzle Store
MDP United has created a store. We have just one design, but we’ll be having more up very soon. All proceeds from the sale of products on Zazzle go to help those with Muscular Dystrophy. You can check out our current designs at: MDP United Zazzle Shop.

MDP United Interviews
We’ll be featuring interviews with families and individuals with Muscular Dystrophy every month on the MDP United Blog. Check out our first interview with the Shifflett family. Their daughter, Emma Grace, has Spinal Muscular Atrophy. If you’d like to be interviewed, please contact me and let me know.

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MDP United is searching for a select group of individuals with Muscular Dystrophy. We’d like to invite five children (between the ages of 4-17) and five adults to represent Team MDP United as MDP United Advocates. They’ll be individuals who spread the word about MDP United’s mission, all while showing people how capable and independent people with Muscular Dystrophy are.

Parents are encouraged to get involved as our spread the word campaign moves online and off to inform people about how necessary MDP United is. For those not sure of MDP United’s mission, we strive to provide individuals with Muscular Dystrophy with all the tools they need to lead successful, fulfilling and independent lives. This includes medical equipment such as wheelchairs, Hoyer lifts and walkers, home modifications, home health alternatives, transportation, advocacy services and we dream of opening a clinic where patients with mobility impairments have greater access to all forms of medical care from dentistry to ob/gyn services.

As MDP United advocates, these 10 individuals will be featured on MDP United pamphlets, graphics, the MDP United website, in MDP United videos and other promotional materials. These individuals will also have first consideration at doing interviews with the press, as representatives of our organization. We’re looking for caring, compassionate, friendly adults and children with bright and bubbly personalities.

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We want our forums to become a great resource for those with Muscular Dystrophy, their friends, their family and supporters of our organization. That’s why we’re offering a contest to help get the forums going. Signup is free and you can post as little or as much as you want.

The rules are simple. We will be having three contests over the rest of 2008. The first contest will feature a prize suited for a young girl. The other two contests will feature a prize suited for a young boy and a prize for an adult (such as a DVD or TV Box Set).

We’ll be checking out the person who contributes the most positive and helpful set of posts on our forum. Quantity is not going to be as heavily weighed as quality. We want to see what you have to offer others in the forums and in turn offer something positive to yourself! It doesn’t matter if you’re a mom who has a child with Muscular Dystrophy, a mom with Muscular Dystrophy, if you have a family member with Muscular Dystrophy or are a supporter of the cause. Everyone has a chance to win this prize.

Speaking of the prize, you are going to love what we have to offer.

Our Grand Prize: The Hannah Montana Surf Shop Hang-out Playset + Your Child’s Choice of One of the Summertime Hannah Montana Series Dolls (Choices are Hannah, Oliver or Lilly)

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On a warm, spring day in North Carolina, a little girl with brilliant, sparkling eyes and an infectious smile sits casually on the floor in her home. Her sweet voice can be heard singing songs that other children her age sing, like “I’m a Little Teapot” (To see Emma sing, check out this video!). It’s hard not to smile as you listen to Emma Grace Shifflett, but there is something about this little girl that makes you want to just give her a hug. She certainly has personality, charm and the potential to be a future heartbreaker.

At age 4, Emma is just like any other girl her age. She loves to play with her friends and family, read, be read to and she really enjoys watching cartoons! Other interests for Emma include picking flowers, blowing bubbles and playing with her Polly Pocket toys and fairies. Just looking at Emma and hearing her sing it’s hard to imagine that she has a degenerative muscle disease. Unless you see her out in her wheelchair, which she loves to drive, you might not even realize she is in a wheelchair.

Emma’s parents, Brandy and Darrell, found out that Emma had Spinal Muscular Atrophy Type II when she was 16 months old. Emma’s disability was diagnosed through DNA testing. Spinal Muscular Atrophy Type II is sometimes called Intermediate SMA. Diagnosis for SMA Type II is generally achieved between the ages of 6 and 18 months. For Emma, this means that while she can sit unsupported, she can no longer crawl and has never been able to stand or walk unassisted. Still, that hardly keeps Emma from doing the things she likes to do.

According to her mother, Brandy, Emma is a very loving and caring person. She loves to go to school and play with the other kids. Just because she might not be able to walk doesn’t mean she won’t try new things or find a way to do things that others might think Emma is incapable of doing. Like most children with SMA, Emma is incredibly intelligent. Any weaknesses she might have physically have no affect on her ability to learn or grow as a person.

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