When Alexa couldn't crawl, stand or walk as a baby, her mother sensed that something was wrong. 1 , doctors told her not to worry— perhaps Alexa was just a "lazy baby". After seeing a specialist, though, Alexa was diagnosed with a rare disease called spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), which affects the central nervous system and the 2 in the body.
Throughout Alexa's childhood and adolescence, there were no3 medicines to treat SMA. Her muscles continued to weaken over time. But Alexa was outgoing and loved to exercise her4 through pretend play and performing. This adventurous spirit led her to work as a child5 , appearing in movies, television shows and commercials.
With hard work, determination and courage—not to 6 plenty of support from her loved ones — Alexa graduated from high school, and attended a law school. While in law school, her symptoms became especially7 . She noticed that it was becoming more difficult to 8 her hands and move her fingers. Around that same time, she9 an experimental drug for SMA that was in clinical trials. She started 10 to learn as much as she could about this possible medicine and what it might do for her. Finally she received the first-ever approved treatment to11 the progression of her disease.
Now, Alexa works as an entertainment lawyer for a Hollywood production company. Although Alexa doesn't let her SMA define her, it has certainly12 who she is today: optimistic, courageous and13 . The limitations SMA places on her have been a (n)14 , but they've also15 as a motivator, leading Alexa to get as much out of life as she can.
