Shane Burcaw - "A Will to Survive"

That moment when Shane Burcaw, at age 17, found "A Will To Survive" amid thoughts that he was going to die of pneumonia ... and the world has been so incredibly blessed ever since! He has gone on to found a non-profit, Laughing At My Nightmare, Inc., win two Emmy® Awards, raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for people with muscular dystrophy, and speak all over the country. And NOW - there's a drug that will help him reach that goal of living to 70!

In 2011, Shane Burcaw started a blog to tell his life story of living with a disease that made his muscles waste away as he grew older. His stories made fun of the problems he was dealing with and people took notice.

​The blog blew up, achieving HALF A MILLION followers (a number that still grows to this day). Shane realized how badly people needed humor in their lives, so he set out with his cousin Sarah to create a company that could help people laugh more and help others living with the same disease.

​Laughing At My Nightmare, Inc. is a nonprofit with a mission to spread a message of positivity while providing equipment grants to those living with muscular dystrophy. First, they strive to make the world a happier place by teaching children across the country methods for overcoming adversity. They provide schools with tools and presentations that increase kindness, empathy, and positivity by showing kids that we are all different and we all have challenges that are best solved by working together!

At the same time, they work to improve the quality of life for people living with muscular dystrophy by providing free adaptive and medical equipment to people in need! They aim to give devices and technology that helps their clients live healthier, more comfortable, and more productive lives.