Most Common Life-Threatening Genetic Diseases

You’ve Never Heard of Mom Discusses Pain of Children Living with Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD) Walk for PKD. A Cure is our Finish Line. Five years ago, just two days after the birth of their daughter Quinn, doctors brought heart-breaking news to Julia and Julian Roberts. Their baby girl was diagnosed with Autosomal Recessive Polycystic Kidney Disease (ARPKD) which often results in death in the early days of life. Just three months later, the Roberts learned that their son, Gage had the same disease. Julia and Julian had never heard of PKD. They had no idea they both carried a gene that would pass this life-threatening disease onto their children. Like all parents, they wanted to protect their children, prevent them from undergoing painful dialysis. They would both be tested as potential donors, but neither would prove to be a suitable donor. Gage, now 8-years-old, has been fighting to stay alive,through dialysis. A friend of the family offered to be tested and Gage just recently received a much needed kidney transplant. But his sister still struggles with PKD, and eventually, she will suffer the same fate. Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD) is one of the world’s most common, life-threatening genetic diseases. It affects more people than Down syndrome, cystic fibrosis, muscular dystrophy, sickle cell anemia and hemophilia combined. 600,000 Americans suffer from PKD. Cysts grow on their kidneys and eventually cause the kidneys to fail. Dialysis and transplantation are the only treatment options for kidney failure. There is no cure for PKD. Despite challenges, Julia decided to use her experience to help other families facing the same devastating news. She started the PKD Foundation Atlanta Chapter and helps to organize the Atlanta Walk for PKD. Her mission is to raise money, to fund research and to find a treatment or a cure for PKD. You can help with her mission to educate families of the threat of PKD. Walk for PKD in more than 70 cities across the country, during the third weekend of September. Walk for PKD a cure is our finish line. For more information on PKD or to locate a walk near you please visit http://www.pkdcure.org . Julia Roberts, mother of two children living with PKD and advocate for families living with PKD as well as PKD Atlanta Chapter founder and organizer of Atlanta Walk for PKD.