08/07/2015:

Name:  Samantha  AGE: 7 yrs. old

COUNTRY: USA

LGMD Sub-Type: LGMD2i

 

At what age were you diagnosed:

I was diagnosed at the age of 2.

What were your first symptoms:

My mom and dad saw me fall a lot and I had trouble keeping up with my friends.

Do you have other family members who have LGMD:

No, I am the only person in my family with LGMD.

What do you find to be the greatest challenges in living with LGMD:

I don’t like not being able to run as fast as my friends at school.  It’s hard to do gymnastics but I still have fun trying.  My mom and dad make me take a vitamin called “CoQ10” and I don’t like the way it tastes.  I also don’t like wearing my stretching boots at night.   I don’t really like people knowing that I have LGMD because it’s kind of embarrassing.

What is your greatest accomplishment:

I’m proud that I can read chapter books now and that I am able to ride horses.  I am also excited that I can go off the diving board and swim in the deep end in the pool.   I hit the ball well when I play softball and I get excited when I make it on base.

How has LGMD influenced you into becoming the person you are today:

I get to do lemonade stands and sell bracelets with my cousins to raise money for LGMD.   I’m lucky that I met other people who have LGMD when I went to a conference in Iowa.  They are my friends now.

What do you want the world to know about LGMD:

It’s hard to have LGMD but sometimes I meet other people who have disabilities that are worse than mine and I realize that LGMD isn’t really that bad.

If your LGMD could be “cured” tomorrow, what would be the first thing that you would want to do:

I would throw my stretching boots out the window and go to Hershey Park to celebrate!