AFC Emley aim to raise both funds and awareness for the spinal muscular atrophy charity Team Rowan at the Hallam fixture on Bank Holiday Monday.

Development Squad manager Joe Howson is supporting Team Rowan through the donation of a match sponsorship whilst proceeds from the club's regular raffle will be donated to the charity and a collection bucket will also be passed around the ground.

In November 2012, Rowan of Denby Dale passed away at just under eighteen months old, eight months after been diagnosed with SMA type 1b.

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a genetic condition where there is currently no cure. One person in every forty is a carrier of the defective gene that causes SMA. If both parents are carriers their child has a one in four chance of having the condition.

SMA type 1, also known as Werdnig-Hoffman disease, is the most severe type of SMA. It is usually diagnosed within the first six months of a baby's life and is the biggest genetic killer of under twos in the UK.

The voluntary muscles are affected which means babies are limp and floppy, resulting in the inability to lift their head, have difficulty rolling over and are unable to sit unaided.

The muscles that are used for sucking and swallowing can be affected which can result in difficulties with feeding. Weakness in the chest muscles are easy to identify by watching how the baby breathes - usually breathing for their stomach instead of their chest.

Medically it is possible for a baby with SMA 1 to live to two years old, but it is usually difficulties with breathing, coughing, chest infections and the common cold that often leads to pneumonia that make it unlikely for a SMA 1 baby to reach this age.

Approximately 80 per cent will die within the first year of their life.

For more information, click here for the Team Rowan website.