The night before my first day of high school, I laid in bed wide awake, the butterflies in my stomach fluttering as I pondered what my life for the next four years would be like. Would my classes be hard? Would I get lost? Would I make friends easily? However, I had a big question lingering on top of all these: How would being in a wheelchair and having SMA affect all this?

First impressions are crucial for everyone in that they can determine how someone views you for a lasting time. Unfortunately, first impressions often involve an individual’s appearance, and for those with SMA, our differences are all the more apparent.