u/PinataofPathology

Advocacy Opportunities with the UDNF FYI

The UDNF has several advocacy initiatives patients can participate in. It sounds to me like anyone rare would be welcome but their focus is more the diagnostic odyssey.

"Community Councils are groups of volunteers making an impact across the UDNF mission – support, engagement, action, fundraising, and innovation. All are welcome to join these councils to add their time, insights, and talents to the UDNF mission. Through the Community Councils, the UDNF will ensure that the organization’s priorities are directly reflective of changing needs in the rare and undiagnosed community and these talented volunteers will enable us to accomplish more together. "

More info and sign up here:

https://udnf.org/about-udnf/community-councils/

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u/PinataofPathology — 5 hours ago

Vitamins and Rare Disease Research (interesting article)

This is super cool. Revisiting vitamin biochemistry to look for rare disease treatments.

I know for me vitamins and supplements can often be medicinal. Has it been like that for anyone else?

I think the challenge is that whatever is driving my biochemistry is as yet unknowable. So we're still missing the map for people who would benefit from something like this. I've done a lot of trial and error on my own just trying to solve the problem for myself and in fact I did use the Krebs cycle at one point to figure out a supplement to try. That actually worked too.

I've never had any kind of support from medicine on stuff like this. It's just blank looks. I don't bring it up anymore because the last thing I need is something that stigmatizes me further.

Medicine in the future where they're factoring in your biochemistry, genetics, pollutant load, nutrition and vitamins on top of medications and other treatments will be pretty cool-- ai has the bandwidth to do meaningful data analysis. P​robably won't happen during my natural lifespan tho and man, is that pissing me off right now lol.

https://scitechdaily.com/a-simple-vitamin-may-hold-the-key-to-treating-rare-genetic-diseases/

u/PinataofPathology — 2 days ago

Or is it just me thinking this? Do I need to go sit in the corner and sing 🎵🎶aaaaaaall byyyy myyyyyself 🎶🎵?

u/PinataofPathology — 7 days ago

Register here: https://undiagnosed.hms.harvard.edu/events/course/

Determine appropriate methods for clinical evaluation and phenotyping of patients with undiagnosed conditions.

Apply or refer patients to specialists for advanced analysis of sequencing data.

Identify strategies for incorporating basic research into the diagnostic process or introducing appropriate research for patients.

Recognize how patient engagement can be leveraged to improve rare disease diagnosis.

(It looks like access to last year's session is linked at the bottom of the page if you want to watch that fyi.)

u/PinataofPathology — 14 days ago

The UDN has a free virtual event today for Undiagnosed Disease Day 4/29.

"Our program will include sessions on: the impact of living undiagnosed, advancing patient-driven discovery and innovation in rare and ultra-rare diseases, and how belonging with the UDNF does not require a diagnosis."

Register here: https://givebutter.com/undiagnosedday

u/PinataofPathology — 14 days ago