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2nd Fight Pompe Illustration

Inspired by the success of the first “Fight Pompe Illustration”:http://www.fightpompe.com/article/26/1st-fight-pompe-illustration I commissioned the second Fight Pompe Illustration from one of my favorite artists “May Ann Licudine”:http://frecklefaced29.deviantart.com/ who also made the first illustration.

!/images/12.jpg (Love of Family Sketch)!
!/images/13.jpg (Love of Family Final Artwork)!

For the second illustration I wanted to emphasize family. The theme of the illustration is the love of a family for a child/member who has Pompe disease. I think that the family plays an important role in treating and managing the disease. The love, support and care that a family provides goes a long, long way in ensuring that a Pompe patient flourishes.

By family, I don’ t mean just the immediate family but as well as the extended family and friends who are family as well.

I personally know that I could not have made it this far without the love, support and care of my family. For that I will always be grateful to them.

I hope you enjoy the second illustration as much as I did. You’ll be seeing it soon at the “Fight Pompe Cafe Press Store”:http://www.cafepress.com/fightpompe/ .

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Interesting Developments

So it’s been awhile since I’ve been able to post an entry. It’s been a busy time for me and the rest of the community/world as well. I thought I’d post some interesting news from the medical community.

h3.European Commission Approves Genzyme’s Myozyme

A pivotal moment in Pompe history, Myozyme has been given approval by the European Commission as a long term treatment for Pompe Disease. Myozyme is an Enzyme Replacement Therapy (ERT) that aims to treat people suffering from Pompe Disease. It’s not a cure but a long term therapy that hopefully will stop and reverse symptoms of Pompe diseast.

This news has long been awaited by the Pompe community. It is also expected that the FDA will soon approve Myozyme in the U.S.

“Read the press release”:http://www.genzyme.com/corp/investors/GENZ%20PR-040306.asp

h3. High School Whiz Kids Search For A Cure For Muscular Dystrophy

While not directly related to Pompe Disease, this is still an interesting piece of news. For a time I was diagnosed as having Muscular Dystrophy before being correctly diagnosed with Pompe disease a few years after.

Cherry Creek High School seniors Lalith Polepeddi and Mike Polmear have found a new approach in finding a cure for Muscular Dystrophy. They are looking at a way to seal leaky muscle cell membranes that plague Muscular Dystrophy patients.

While this research is very preliminary and far from an actual cure scientists are paying attention because of the interesting approach.

Read more about “the story”:http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Health/story?id=1808757 at the ABC News web site.