As Laura Perfetti got pregnant, her son remarked that she is pregnant with a baby girl and she would be named as “Lady Bug”. Both Laura Perfetti and her son were not aware, what is in store for them. As a baby girl was born she had a small brown colored mark on her belly. She was named Julia Perfetti. As she developed tumors in her feet, a medical examination revealed that she had Neufibramatosis. Neurofibromatosis is usually a hereditary disorder that results in the tumors in the nerves. The tumors can be benign or malignant. These growths at first pose no serious medical problems, however as the tumors grow they start pressing against the vital organs disrupting the functionality. Swelling tumors can typically result in hearing loss as they interfere with the auditory system organs.
There is no known cure of the disease, however a medicine named Interferon has shown some promise. Pegylated Interferon treatment is highly successful in the diseases related to virus; however the role of the drug in neurofibromatosis is not clear.
Laura Perfetti has not only donated $75,000 to the Neurofibromatosis research but thinks it to be her duty to raise the awareness of the disease also. She ran ING NYC Marathon dressed like a “Lady Bug” mainly to inform public about the disease. She sees the disease as a car which is running above the limit and is not going off the track. Laura is a school teacher and her colleagues help her in her efforts.
Neurofibromatosis
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