Posted: Jan 27, 2012 5:43 AM by Carina Corral
Updated: Jan 27, 2012 7:38 PM
This Saturday, January 28, hundreds of people will take steps in Santa Maria toward finding a cure for muscular diseases.
The Muscular Dystrophy Association is holding its annual Muscle Walk at Waller Park starting at 11 am.
All the money raised goes toward finding a cure to diseases like the one that left a Santa Maria teenager in a wheelchair.
"It's in my spine and it makes my muscles very weak and I can't really do as much stuff as other people," said 17-year-old Cody Arjona.
When he was just a kid his mom said he walked funny.
Doctors would later diagnose him with Spinal Muscular Atrophy Type 3.
While, SMA Type 3 is the least severe form of the disease, doctors told his family it would get progressively worse, causing muscle degeneration and weakness.
"They just knew that one day he wouldn't be able to walk. They didn't know if it would be in high school or when he was 40," said Cody's mother, Michelle.
It happened last year. At age 16.
"He's such an outgoing kid that it's just a heartbreaker that he has to be in a wheel chair when he loves being outdoors so much and sports and stuff like that," said Michelle.
There is no treatment for the disease and that is what this weekend's Muscle Walk is all about.
People will pack the park to take steps toward finding a cure.
"We probably have over 200 team members and were hoping the donations will help MDA find a cure for what Cody has and other kids too," said Michelle.
There is still time to sign up.
Click here for more information.
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