Hyderabad: Cure SMA Foundation of India, a parent-led non-profit organization, organized the 3rd edition of Run for SMA – 2025 on Sunday at Gachibowli Stadium, Hyderabad. The run aims to raise awareness about Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA)—a severe and rare genetic disorder that affects children’s muscle strength and movement, often leading to respiratory failure if left undiagnosed and untreated.
The run was flagged off by Special Chief Secretary to Govt of Telangana Jayesh Ranjan, along with Guests of Honours included, Bhavani Sri, Secretary, National Turmeric Board, Archana Suresh, Director, Telangana Social Impact Group. Dr. Radha Rama Devi, Senior Consultant, Pediatrician & Geneticist, Rainbow Children’s Hospital, Mayur Patnala, Founder & Global CEO, Nirmaan Organization.
The Run featured both timed and non-timed running categories 21K, 10K, 5K (timed), and a 5K non-timed run. It witnessed enthusiastic participation from approximately 2,500 runners, including students, corporate employees, medical professionals, and SMA families, all uniting to support a noble cause. For the first time, over 2000 Indian Coast Guard personnel all along the Indian Coast, Andaman and Nicobar and Lakshwadeep Islands from 42 CG Stations, 5 Air Stations and 4 Air Enclaves participated in the Run Virtually as a CG Veteran Initiative.
Srilakshmi Nalam, Co-founder and Trustee of Cure SMA India, emphasized the importance of collaboration between medical professionals, research bodies, corporates, and the government to create a sustainable ecosystem for rare disease families in India. She noted that Run for SMA is part of the Global SMA Awareness Month, observed in August.