MPS Awareness Day

A few years ago I was hired at a new school and met a very special young lady whose has touched many lives of both adults and children. Everyone who comes in contat with her, just falls in love. This sweet young ladies name is Mackenzie and she has a disease called Mucopolysaccharidoses (MPS). This was something I had never heard until I met Mackenzie so I wanted to share the information I have learned with my readers on MPS Awareness Day. According to the website for the MPS Society "...MPS and related diseases are genetic lysosomal storage diseases (LSD) caused by the body’s inability to produce specific enzymes. Normally, the body uses enzymes to break down and recycle materials in cells. In individuals with MPS and related diseases, the missing or insufficient enzyme prevents the proper recycling process, resulting in the storage of materials in virtually every cell of the body. As a result, cells do not perform properly and may cause progressive damage throughout the body, including the heart, bones, joints, respiratory system and central nervous system. While the disease may not be apparent at birth, signs and symptoms develop with age as more cells become damaged by the accumulation of cell materials." "While the symptoms of the diseases may vary from one syndrome to another, there are similarities. Affected individuals may have mental retardation, cloudy corneas, short stature, stiff joints, incontinence, speech and hearing impairment, chronic runny nose, hernia, heart disease, hyperactivity, depression, pain and a dramatically shortened life span." If you would like to learn more about MPS or how you can help find a cure check out the National MPS Society website or their facebook page.