Where Discovery Creates Hope - February 2022
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Around 1 out of every 100,000 people are diagnosed with Hurler Syndrome, a genetic disease in which they lack an enzyme to break down certain complex molecules.
But despite the disease being rare, all three of Brooke and Mich Thomas’ children have been diagnosed with it. The disease can lead to brain, heart and organ damage as molecules build up.
Rare diseases require special expertise, which drove the Thomas family from their home in Alabama to M Health Fairview Masonic Children’s Hospital.
Dr. Paul Orchard, a pediatrician and professor at the University of Minnesota Medical School, performed bone marrow transplants for all three children. He also continues to coordinate ongoing care.
Dr. Orchard, like others at the U of M, has built a strong relationship with the Thomas family, who consider themselves Minnesotans at heart.
The family has also formed connections with others like theirs. Families who have been recently diagnosed have come to Brooke seeking guidance and community.
