29 min

A North Star In A Rare Universe with Cure Founder and Rare Mom Caroline Cheung-Yiu Rare Mamas Rising

    • Kids & Family

RARE MAMAS RISING- EPISODE 014   A North Star in a Rare Universe with CURE Founder and Rare Mom Caroline Cheung-Yiu  
 
For over 12 years, a cruel and debilitating disease slowly robbed Caroline’s son Alex of his abilities. Countless medical and genetic tests and some of the best physicians, scientists, and researchers in the world were perplexed by Alex’s condition. Then in 2018, through miraculous intervention, Alex’s genetic data was reanalyzed, and he was found to have a newly discovered, rare, non-inherited, spontaneous genetic disease called NEDAMSS (Neurodevelopmental Disorder with Regression, Abnormal Movements, Loss of Speech, and Seizures) or IRF2BPL related disorder. During the time Caroline was relentlessly seeking answers for her son’s constantly shifting illness, she created a community called Complex, Undiagnosed, Rare, and Extraordinary (CURE). CURE connects families lacking a diagnosis for their child and empowers them with local resources to forge ahead in their diagnostic odyssey. Caroline believes we are all stars lighting up the sky in the rare universe, and once you meet Caroline, you’ll undoubtedly see why for those in the undiagnosed community, she’s a “North Star!” 
 
 
EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS 
The unlikely way Alex's diagnosis was ultimately discovered (you won’t believe it)  How Caroline maintained hope as years passed without answers  Caroline's best resources and insights for parents whose children are still on a diagnostic journey    
 
LINKS & RESOURCES MENTIONED 
 
Caroline Cheung-Yiu 
www.cureundx.com 
www.alexsodyssey.com 
 
Undiagnosed Disease Network - NIH 
https://undiagnosed.hms.harvard.edu/about-us/ 
 
Rare Genomes Project - The Broad Institute 
https://raregenomes.org/ 
 
Center for Rare Childhood Disorders - TGen 
https://www.tgen.org/patients/center-for-rare-childhood-disorders/ 
 
Precision Medicine Clinic - Rady Children's Genomic Institute 
https://radygenomics.org/families/ 
 
Manton Center for Orphan Disease Research - Boston Children's Hospital 
https://www.childrenshospital.org/research/centers/manton-center-orphan-disease-research/information-patients-and-families 
 
iHope Genetic Health - Illumina and Genetic Alliance 
https://ihopegenetichealth.org/ 
 
CONNECT WITH NIKKI 
 
Facebook 
https://www.facebook.com/RareMamas1/ 
Instagram 
https://www.instagram.com/Rare_Mamas/ 
Website 
https://raremamas.com/ 
Email 
info@raremamas.com 
 
 
 
 

RARE MAMAS RISING- EPISODE 014   A North Star in a Rare Universe with CURE Founder and Rare Mom Caroline Cheung-Yiu  
 
For over 12 years, a cruel and debilitating disease slowly robbed Caroline’s son Alex of his abilities. Countless medical and genetic tests and some of the best physicians, scientists, and researchers in the world were perplexed by Alex’s condition. Then in 2018, through miraculous intervention, Alex’s genetic data was reanalyzed, and he was found to have a newly discovered, rare, non-inherited, spontaneous genetic disease called NEDAMSS (Neurodevelopmental Disorder with Regression, Abnormal Movements, Loss of Speech, and Seizures) or IRF2BPL related disorder. During the time Caroline was relentlessly seeking answers for her son’s constantly shifting illness, she created a community called Complex, Undiagnosed, Rare, and Extraordinary (CURE). CURE connects families lacking a diagnosis for their child and empowers them with local resources to forge ahead in their diagnostic odyssey. Caroline believes we are all stars lighting up the sky in the rare universe, and once you meet Caroline, you’ll undoubtedly see why for those in the undiagnosed community, she’s a “North Star!” 
 
 
EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS 
The unlikely way Alex's diagnosis was ultimately discovered (you won’t believe it)  How Caroline maintained hope as years passed without answers  Caroline's best resources and insights for parents whose children are still on a diagnostic journey    
 
LINKS & RESOURCES MENTIONED 
 
Caroline Cheung-Yiu 
www.cureundx.com 
www.alexsodyssey.com 
 
Undiagnosed Disease Network - NIH 
https://undiagnosed.hms.harvard.edu/about-us/ 
 
Rare Genomes Project - The Broad Institute 
https://raregenomes.org/ 
 
Center for Rare Childhood Disorders - TGen 
https://www.tgen.org/patients/center-for-rare-childhood-disorders/ 
 
Precision Medicine Clinic - Rady Children's Genomic Institute 
https://radygenomics.org/families/ 
 
Manton Center for Orphan Disease Research - Boston Children's Hospital 
https://www.childrenshospital.org/research/centers/manton-center-orphan-disease-research/information-patients-and-families 
 
iHope Genetic Health - Illumina and Genetic Alliance 
https://ihopegenetichealth.org/ 
 
CONNECT WITH NIKKI 
 
Facebook 
https://www.facebook.com/RareMamas1/ 
Instagram 
https://www.instagram.com/Rare_Mamas/ 
Website 
https://raremamas.com/ 
Email 
info@raremamas.com 
 
 
 
 

29 min

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