A Foundation Building Strength

Funding breakthrough Nemaline Myopathy research. Supporting and Connecting the affected community.

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Our Story

In 2008, a diagnosis of Nemaline Myopathy (NM) led one family to ask a critical question: “What can we do to help?”
That question led to establishing A Foundation Building Strength (AFBS) as a globally respected organization with an unflinching mission to find effective treatments for this genetic disorder that causes weakness in the skeletal muscles, affecting the ability to move, talk, swallow, and breathe.
By uniting leading scientists, clinicians, and determined families, AFBS has built the essential pillars of research—including registries, tissue repositories, animal models, and natural history studies—needed to find effective treatments.
Now, we are doubling down on our efforts to move from basic science to life-changing therapies. But we cannot do it alone.

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Our Impact

0 % of your donation is invested in Nemaline Myopathy research
0 research studies funded to date
0 + people with Nemaline Myopathy registered in CMDIR
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Upcoming Events

  • Sep 12

    VIRTUAL KIDS GATHERING – AGES 12 & UNDER

    Join A Foundation Building Strength (AFBS) for a special virtual gathering designed just for kids ages 12 and under who are affected by Nemaline Myopathy (NM). Hosted by AFBS…

    Saturday, September 12, 2026 9:00 am – 10:00 am Online
  • Oct 10

    VIRTUAL KIDS GATHERING – AGES 12 & UNDER

    Join A Foundation Building Strength (AFBS) for a special virtual gathering designed just for kids ages 12 and under who are affected by Nemaline Myopathy (NM). Hosted by AFBS…

    Saturday, October 10, 2026 9:00 am – 10:00 am Online
  • Nov 1

    2026 TCS New York City Marathon

    Cheer on Team AFBS at the New York City Marathon on Sunday, November 1st! Eleven dedicated runners are taking on the incredible challenge of 26.2…

    Sunday, November 1, 2026 8:00 am – 10:00 pm New York City
    New York, NY
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Get Involved

We’d love to have you as part of our Nemaline Myopathy community! Check out the various way to get involved with AFBS, stay up-to-date, donate, and help us inspire others to join the cause.

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FOR OUR COMMUNITY

We are dedicated to our mission of finding treatments for Nemaline Myopathy, while providing support and resources to the Nemaline Myopathy community.

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Latest News

Research Update: 3D Engineered Muscle and AI Accelerate the Search for Nemaline Myopathy Treatments
Research

Research Update: 3D Engineered Muscle and AI Accelerate the Search for Nemaline Myopathy Treatments

Historically, the path to developing treatments for Nemaline Myopathy (NM) has faced two significant roadblocks: a limited understanding of how the disease impacts muscle cells beyond initial genetic mutations, and a shortage of versatile lab models to rapidly test new therapeutic approaches. An AFBS (A Foundation Building Strength) funded international collaboration led by Dr. David…

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From the Lecture Hall to the Finish Line: A Physician’s Journey to Educate Specialists and Conquer the NYC Marathon for NM
News

From the Lecture Hall to the Finish Line: A Physician’s Journey to Educate Specialists and Conquer the NYC Marathon for NM

Introducing Dr. Kristine Cunniff, Our 2026 Strength in Action Honoree The medical community often speaks of “the clinical gaze”: the objective, trained eye of a physician scanning for patterns and pathologies. But for Dr. Kristine (Kris) Cunniff, a board-certified internist in Rhode Island, that gaze was fundamentally shifted the day her granddaughter, Lexi, was born….

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