About to tee off for the fourth time, the annual Swing Away SMA golf tournament will take place on Saturday, May 18 to benefit Thunderbird High School student Madison Wolff.

Going by “Madi,” Wolff suffers from Spinal Muscular Atrophy. SMA is a disease that robs people of physical strength by affecting the motor nerve cells in the spinal cord, taking away the ability to walk, eat or breathe. It is the number one genetic cause of death for infants. But it’s not something that is keeping Madi from living the best life she can.

Madi is the sophomore class treasurer and a state ambassador for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. She is an honors/AP student, a member of student government and on the yearbook staff, where she will be an editor next year.

Madi’s father, Ryan Wolff, is a longtime athletic trainer in the state of Arizona and works at Thunderbird. Ryan and his colleagues, some of whom are on site at the AIA state championships every season, decided to get together and raise money for the family and awareness about the condition. The good news is scientists have been making strides in finding a cure. Wolff and the other athletic trainers are doing their part in helping this cause.

The golf tournament is a four-person scramble format and will take place at the beautiful Lookout Mountain Golf Course located at the Pointe Hilton Tapatio Resort in north Phoenix (11111 N. 7th St., Phoenix 85020).  For more information on the tournament and how to sign up: click here.

Prizes will be offered at the tournament and there will be a reception immediately following the scramble at The Posse Club. Single golfers or foursomes can sign up to take part. Tournament and hole sponsorships are available.

For more information on SMA: click here.