James Middleton wrote a heartfelt tribute to his goddaughter, Anouk, who suffers from spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a condition that leads to progressive muscle wastage and weakness.
As she grows older, her condition is expected to confine her to a wheelchair.
Next to a screenshot of the article, James wrote: “So proud of Mike and Sophie for raising awareness of SMA and even more proud of my amazing goddaughter Anouka [red love heart emoji].”
Anouk and her family showed great courage in sharing her condition, which sadly could have been prevented.
According to the report, new treatments approved in the last five years can halt the disease if caught in the first few weeks of life, but currently, it is not routinely tested for in the UK.
James also shared a link to the official page for ACE SMA, a charity that raises awareness for Spinal Muscular Atrophy.
James frequently uses his platform to raise awareness for his family members and his own health challenges. He has been candid about his battle with depression and how his therapy dog, Ella, supported him during that time. Since Ella’s passing in January last year, James announced that he is releasing a book titled “Meet Ella: The Dog Who Saved My Life.”
Last month, James unveiled the front cover of his new book during the Good Woof dog festival, and shortly afterward, he shared a photo of the cover on Instagram. James chose a special image that showed him holding Ella around his neck.
Alongside the photo he wrote: “For fifteen years Ella carried me over the obstacles life threw at me…but in our last moments together I carried her. This photo means so much to me and I’ve chosen it to be the front cover of my upcoming book.
“It was taken by my wife Alizee on one of our last walks together. I had tears in my eyes as I knew she was getting weaker by the day. But we enjoyed every last moment we could together.
“It was wonderful to release the cover @goodwoofdogs and really touched by how many of you came to hear me talk about the book and coping with the loss of a dog
