Raising Rare

Raising Rare
Raising Rare

Imagine the excitement of becoming a new parent and then within hours finding out your child has a serious developmental disorder. That is exactly where Sanath Kumar Ramesh found himself in the summer of 2018. One year later, on his son’s first birthday, they found out that their son, Raghav, had an extremely rare mutation of the GPX4 gene. At the time, doctors told them that Raghav may be the only one on the planet with this genetic variant who had lived beyond one month of life. The prognosis is completely unknown. They were alone. They were scared. And then they went into action. And now they want to share their story. Every couple of weeks Raising Rare will give you an update on baby Raghav as he grows up. We will also share how Sanath and his wife Ramya are driving toward a treatment for their son. We will explore the science that Sanath is initiating, their efforts to fund that research, and the people they meet along the way. We will also hear how the family adjusts to challenges and changes that they are faced with. Most importantly, we will share the wisdom they gain along the way so that other Rare Parents can learn from their steps and missteps. We don’t know where this story will go. We do know we want you to join us for the journey.

  1. SEP 11

    Coming Together for a Cure - Blake Benton Part 2

    In Part 1, we heard about the bold and courageous approach that Ryan Benton's family took to treat his Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. After seeing the success of the stem cell therapy, Blake and Ryan Benton felt very deeply that they needed to inform and educate others about this approach. From the grass roots of a local rock concert grew Coming Together for a Cure (CTFAC). The mission of CTFAC is to make stem cell therapy the standard of care for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy a wide variety of rare and debilitating diseases. This is a challenging objective. Investigators need to be recruited, scientific evidence needs to be accumulated, and regulatory requirements need to be met. Because of the history of stem cell research in the US, all of these steps need to be done with utmost care and professionalism. Learn more at CTFAC.org Mentioned in this episode: Sunshine Dreamer Ad We are excited to share a late-breaking announcement from today’s guest. Coming soon: The feature documentary, The Sunshine Dreamer, shares the inspiring story of Ryan Benton's journey battling Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy and becoming the first person with DMD to be treated with stem cell therapy, starting in 2008. Thanks to the therapy, his life expectancy nearly doubled, allowing him to continue his passion as a musician and inspiring thousands of others fighting to overcome their diseases. The film also showcases stories of families across the globe who Blake and Ryan helped to receive stem cell therapy through their nonprofit Coming Together for a Cure. Additionally, you will hear from celebrities and professional athletes who have become advocates for stem cell therapy based on their personal experiences receiving therapy. They believe this film will motivate people about the immense potential of stem cell therapy to become part of the standard of care for those battling rare diseases and beyond. You can watch the trailer at CTFAC.org. Coming Together For a Cure Invitation to Check Out The Atlas The Atlas

    24 min
  2. AUG 28

    A Bold and Courageous Approach - Coming Together For A Cure

    Blake Benton’s earliest memories were his brother declining due to Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. About 10 years later, his parents and brother made a bold move. They went to Costa Rica to get an experimental stem cell therapy. And it worked. Ryan was able to live until he was 37 years old with little degeneration caused by his DMD. He died in 2023 of complications from kidney stones. Ryan and Blake started a non-profit named after a benefit concert they held – Coming Together for a Cure (CTFAC). The goal of CTFAC is to advocate for more stem cell research in DMD and other diseases. There are many challenges, especially in the US. We discussed: 1. How his parents raised the boys and their sister 2. The impact of Ryan’s DMD on Blake’s life and outlook 3. The good fortune for Blake’s parents to have grown up with a stem cell researcher who thought this could make a difference for Ryan. Mentioned in this episode: Sunshine Dreamer Ad We are excited to share a late-breaking announcement from today’s guest. Coming soon: The feature documentary, The Sunshine Dreamer, shares the inspiring story of Ryan Benton's journey battling Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy and becoming the first person with DMD to be treated with stem cell therapy, starting in 2008. Thanks to the therapy, his life expectancy nearly doubled, allowing him to continue his passion as a musician and inspiring thousands of others fighting to overcome their diseases. The film also showcases stories of families across the globe who Blake and Ryan helped to receive stem cell therapy through their nonprofit Coming Together for a Cure. Additionally, you will hear from celebrities and professional athletes who have become advocates for stem cell therapy based on their personal experiences receiving therapy. They believe this film will motivate people about the immense potential of stem cell therapy to become part of the standard of care for those battling rare diseases and beyond. You can watch the trailer at CTFAC.org. Coming Together For a Cure Invitation to Check Out The Atlas The Atlas

    29 min

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
7 Ratings

About

Imagine the excitement of becoming a new parent and then within hours finding out your child has a serious developmental disorder. That is exactly where Sanath Kumar Ramesh found himself in the summer of 2018. One year later, on his son’s first birthday, they found out that their son, Raghav, had an extremely rare mutation of the GPX4 gene. At the time, doctors told them that Raghav may be the only one on the planet with this genetic variant who had lived beyond one month of life. The prognosis is completely unknown. They were alone. They were scared. And then they went into action. And now they want to share their story. Every couple of weeks Raising Rare will give you an update on baby Raghav as he grows up. We will also share how Sanath and his wife Ramya are driving toward a treatment for their son. We will explore the science that Sanath is initiating, their efforts to fund that research, and the people they meet along the way. We will also hear how the family adjusts to challenges and changes that they are faced with. Most importantly, we will share the wisdom they gain along the way so that other Rare Parents can learn from their steps and missteps. We don’t know where this story will go. We do know we want you to join us for the journey.

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