MEET THE
LAIDLAW FAMILY!
We are Richard and Anna Laidlaw, and we live in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada with our family. We have 3 beautiful sons who bring so much joy to our lives: Jack who is 7 and in grade 2, Scott who is 5 and in senior kindergarten, and Tom who is 3 and in preschool.
Jack is a bright, happy, friendly and empathetic boy. He has many hobbies ranging from hockey and other sports to playing piano! He dreams of being an astronaut and wants to be the first person to walk on Mars!
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Scott is our silly sweetheart who always seems to have the giggles. He also has many hobbies ranging from hockey and other sports to piano! He loves being in the kitchen and hopes to be a chef when he grows up!
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Tom is a happy-go-lucky guy who loves life. He adores his big brothers. He wants to do everything his big brothers do, and his size doesn’t slow him down! He also loves watching his big brothers play hockey and is counting down the days until he can join them in the rink! He also loves music and dancing!
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Our sons are the biggest blessing in our lives, and we are so very proud of them. These are such precious years while they are young, and we are enjoying every moment with them. What a gift to be their parents and be able to offer them guidance, love and hugs, and instilling values in their hearts, while they navigate and figure out their lives and who they are and who they want to be. We are grateful and thankful for our little family.
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ABOUT SPG4:
SPG4 is a rare genetic disease and neurological disorder. It is characterized by degeneration of neurons in the brain and spinal cord. The main symptom of SPG4 is muscle weakness and spasticity (stiffness) in the legs. Once symptoms begin, neuron degeneration continues leading to progressive muscle weakness and spasticity. As the disease progresses over time, people with SPG4 may eventually lose the ability to walk on their own, leading to paralysis. This can be coupled with additional symptoms such as incontinence and pain. There is currently no cure, nor is there any treatment to stop the progression of this disease.
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​In December of 2023, our oldest son Jack was diagnosed with SPG4. As his parents, we were left feeling devastated and helpless.
NEXT STEPS:
There is hope. Doctors and researchers from the Boston Children’s Hospital & Harvard Medical School, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Drexel University and University of Wisconsin-Madison have come together to work on the SPG4 Cure Project. The cure they are developing is a gene therapy which aims to replace the disease-causing mutation in the SPAST gene (which causes neuron degeneration) with a healthy copy of the SPAST gene by way of an AAV vector. The therapy would be agnostic to the mutation, and could therefore be used in any SPG4 patient, regardless of their specific mutation or variant of SPG4. ​This means that the gene therapy being developed could not only cure Jack, but every person affected by this disease!
WE NEED YOUR HELP:
Because a small population is affected by SPG4 (1 in 50,000 people), research for the SPG4 Cure Project does not have funding. It has fallen on families affected by SPG4 to raise money and fund this project so that the cure can reach human clinical trials. We are hosting “Jack’s Gala: Reaching for the Stars” to help raise money to fund research for the SPG4 Cure Project. This will be a night of hope for Jack and the Laidlaw family.
