Skip to content
SMA News Today logo Newsletter
Newsletter
  • HCP Portal
  • About SMA
    What is SMA?
    • Causes
    • Symptoms
    • Diagnosis
    • Prognosis
    Types
    • Type 0
    • Type 1
    • Type 2
    • Type 3
    • Type 4
    Treatments
    • Approved treatments
    • Experimental treatments
    • Non-drug treatments
  • Living with
    Living with SMA
    Mental health
    Exercise and physical therapy
    Managing fatigue
    Sleep tips
    Speech therapy
    Specialized equipment
    Flying with a wheelchair
    Scoliosis
  • Community
    Columns
    Vlogs
    The SMA podcast
    Videos
    • Building your healthcare team
    • Taking control of your healthcare
    • SMA love story
    • Smart home technology
    Advocacy partners
    Features
    • Speaking out for the SMA community
    • Spinal cord stimulation
  • News
  • Forums
  • Resources
    SMA empowerment
    Find a physician
    Quizzes
    • Genetics, diagnosis, and treatment
  • What can we help you find today?

    • HCP Portal

College life with SMA taught me self-advocacy's importance

Gabrielle Runyon, who has SMA type 2, obtained a bachelor’s degree from the University of Louisville and is now pursuing her master’s at Tennessee State University. She shares about the need to practice self-advocacy when at school.

In recognition of Spinal Muscular Atrophy Awareness Month in August, the Faces of SMA campaign features a multimedia series with written essays and video interviews highlighting the real-life experiences of people affected by SMA in their own words. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for more stories like this, using the hashtag #FacesofSMA, and check here for more.

Transcript

As a disabled college student, it really has been a struggle and taught me how to advocate for myself as well as put myself out there because I am very shy. Most people don’t know that, but I am very shy. But once I warm up to people I really will not shut up.

So it was just about like putting myself out there and advocating for myself knowing that nobody else was fighting for me but me and my family, and my family wasn’t there all the time. It was just me on campus in classes and talking with the teachers.

So I had a couple teachers that didn’t wanna respect my accommodation so I had to — I remember one specific professor I had he did not want to give me extra time on my test so I went to his like department I went over his head to his department and he finally fixed it he got kind of flustered and was like “Oh, I can do that now.”

But just realizing that you have to advocate for yourself because who’s going to do it if you don’t do it?

Doctor finder promo

Recent Posts

  • A safe space where LGBTQ+ and Disability Pride meet
  • Grateful for sentimental souvenirs and friends who stick around
  • Treatment with salanersen shows benefits for SMA children in trial
  • The quiet miracle of still living with SMA
  • What I would tell my 13-year-old self


Envelope icon

Subscribe to our newsletter

Get regular updates to your inbox.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Bionews, Inc.

3 W Garden St
Suite 700
Pensacola, FL 32502
Website: bionews.com
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 1-800-936-1363

  • About Us
  • Leadership
  • Our Culture
  • Editorial Policy
  • Advertising Policy
  • Corrections Policy
  • Terms of Service
  • Privacy Policy
  • Careers
  • Contact Us
Disclaimer

This site is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.

Copyright © 2013-2025 All rights reserved.