Meet Camden from Eagle

When Camden was born, a blood sample was taken as part of a standard newborn screening. Among the 50 or so diseases and birth defects screened for is spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a genetic neuromuscular disorder that causes a loss of muscle strength and control – and Camden’s test came back positive. SMA causes the body’s muscles to deteriorate, causing severe weakness, problems swallowing and difficulty breathing. Of the treatment options, Camden’s parents opted for a one-time gene therapy treatment, where the missing gene is put into a virus and given to the patient to help produce what their body needs. At one month old, Camden had his gene therapy treatment – early treatment is crucial to its success. Today, Camden is healthy and showing no symptoms. For Camden’s family, having Medicaid coverage removed the worry about the cost of treatment during a very stressful time in their lives. Saving Camden’s life deserved their entire focus. With Medicaid support, his family didn’t have to think about whether they could afford to save his life.

Please keep Medicaid strong for kids like Camden!