Idolator posted about this yesterday and it’s worth repeating anywhere someone may read it: The 2-year-old son of J. Robbins (Channels and ex-Jawbox and ex-Burning Airlines) and Janet Morgan (also in Channels) was born with a genetic motor neuron disease called Type 1 SMA, or Spinal Muscular Atrophy. According to the SMA Foundation Web site, SMA is the leading genetic killer of babies and toddlers. Their son, Callum, will never walk and will be bound to a wheelchair for life.
DeSoto Records details the disease and the uphill battle Robbins and Morgan face, especially in a family in which the sole income comes from Robbins’ job as a producer/engineer for indie bands.
DeSoto has set up a PayPal account to which you can donate at the same page detailing this ordeal.
I went on a bit about J. Robbins and Channels here and have been a fan his various projects (especially Burning Airlines) and always admired his production work on other bands, including DeSoto’s The Life and Times and Maritime.
I hope you’ll think about donating. The only J. Robbins-related material I have (other than CDs) worth auctioning off is a Jawbox 7″ with Jackpot Plus! and Motorist. If anyone has any other ideas, I’m all ears. I’d love to make a sizable donation on behalf of this blog and music fans.
Here’s a few mp3s to inspire some generosity.
Jawbox | Cooling Card
(From For Your Own Special Sweetheart.)
Burning Airlines | The Escape Engine
(From the freaking great Mission: Control!)
Thank you for posting this and helping to raise awareness.
My 2 year old daughter has SMA Type II, and our family can certainly understand how this situation is impacting Callum and his family. Donations either directly to the family or to an organization that promotes SMA research are desperately needed.
Families of SMA (http://www.fsma.org)
SMA Foundation (http://www.smafoundation.org/)
Muscular Dystrophy Association (http://www.mda.org)
Thank you so much for posting this and Happy Holidays.