SMA Family Spotlight: The Cueters

Joshua's Buddies/FightSMA Michigan's
Super Bowl Ticket Auction Raises $8500

Every once in a while something happens and you have to step back and say, “WOW!” It's overwhelming sometimes how an orphan disease like Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) is able to touch the hearts of people and produce amazing results.

Why is SMA able to do this? “Because this matters and this is important!”

Fox Sports Co-Host and Football Hall of Fame Great Howie Long made this statement over three years ago to give parents of SMA children a louder voice when they say: SMA kills more babies than any other genetic disease. Howie helps us raise awareness when he can. By donating two Super Bowl XL tickets to FightSMA, Howie allowed us to team up with Pittsburgh's ESPN Radio, AM 1250, and make some real noise. Together, for four hours, football fans in Pittsburg heard talk show hosts Junker and Crow talk about the big game and promote the auction of two premium tickets on the 40 yard line. Josh Cueter (SMA Type III, pictured holding tickets) and his Dad attended the live simulcast from Detroit. The Cueters were interviewed on-air about the disease and were able to provide information about the great progress that is being made by researchers on projects that are being funded by FightSMA.

At the end of the show a dad from Pittsburg purchased two tickets for his son to attend the game of a lifetime. This dad knows that the money he paid to purchase the tickets will help improve and even extend the life of someone else's son. This was money well spent!

Some special thanks have to be offered to some extraordinary people at the Troy Marriott in Michigan and the staff of FOX Sports. Without their help and creative thinking this money would have never been raised, nor would so many people have been introduced to SMA. Thanks for joining the FIGHT!

-- Joe Cueter, Joshua's Buddies/FightSMA Michigan

Past Family Spotlights
The Calises, click here to view