|February 28, 2021 at 8:34 PM EST - Updated February 28 at 8:34 PM
CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - Sunday marked National Rare Disease Day to raise awareness for thousands of unique and uncommon conditions.
At just two weeks old, Abby Cate Zaucha’s symptoms began baffling both her parents and doctors.
“It presented with symptoms like acid reflux or milk protein allergies,” Mother Melissa Zaucha said.
After thousands of dollars and months of trial and error, she was diagnosed with Congenital Sucrase-Isomaltase Deficiency, or CSID, which makes it impossible to break down certain sugars and starches.
The disease only affects 0.2 percent of North Americans.
|February 28, 2021 at 8:34 PM EST - Updated February 28 at 8:34 PM
CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - Sunday marked National Rare Disease Day to raise awareness for thousands of unique and uncommon conditions.
At just two weeks old, Abby Cate Zaucha’s symptoms began baffling both her parents and doctors.
“It presented with symptoms like acid reflux or milk protein allergies,” Mother Melissa Zaucha said.
After thousands of dollars and months of trial and error, she was diagnosed with Congenital Sucrase-Isomaltase Deficiency, or CSID, which makes it impossible to break down certain sugars and starches.
The disease only affects 0.2 percent of North Americans.
Submit Release February 26, 2021 (PRLEAP.COM) Health NewsNational Rare Disease Awareness Day (RDAD) takes place during the last week of February. This year, the awareness message is even more critical. The pandemic has caused numerous difficulties for rare disease patients, families, and the healthcare community. Major obstacles have included a delay in diagnoses, limited access to treatments, and the lack of clinical trials.
Helping to spread the word on awareness is Greenwich, CT- based, Fibrolamellar Cancer Foundation (FCF), a non-profit organization formed to fund research, build awareness and provide patient support for an aggressive liver cancer that strikes teens and young adults who are typically not diagnosed until the disease is in an advanced stage. FCF was founded in 2009 by 27-year-old Tucker Davis, who lost his life to Fibrolamellar on Rare Disease Day in 2010, after an 18-month fight.