Part of the 0.1%
June Marks Scleroderma Awareness Month
Scleroderma is a rare autoimmune disease that hardens and tightens skin and connective tissue, affecting 0.1% of people in the United States, or just one out of every 1,000 people. There is no known cure for the disease, and while many patients live full lives with scleroderma, it can be fatal. Ashley White is an MBU regional learning student in Jefferson County, Missouri, working toward a degree in middle school education in science, and in addition to her schoolwork, she must deal with the complications of being one of the few afflicted by scleroderma. Here is her story.
Today, June 1, marks the start of Scleroderma Awareness Month, with World Scleroderma Day falling June 29, offering us an opportunity to learn more about this disease, raise awareness in our communities, and contribute to efforts to find a cure. For more information on scleroderma and how to contribute to research, go to Scleroderma.org. And, of course, share this story.
Tags: Ash White, autoimmune disease, Broadcast, circulation, hands, hardening, incurable, J. Dylan White, Jefferson College, Jefferson County, joints, Linda White, lips, lupus, MBU Timeline, multiple sclerosis, News, rare disease, Raynaud's disease, regional student, Scleroderma, Scleroderma Foundation, skin, teeth, ulcers
J. Dylan White
J. Dylan White is Managing Editor for MBU Timeline. White is a broadcast media major with a journalism and English double minor. He is a member of the MBU Jazz, Concert and Pep bands, and he works in MBU’s Records Office. After graduating, White plans to pursue a career in either news radio or television.
