Monday, January 20, 2014

"Beloved teen Sam Berns dies at 17 after suffering from rare disease" by Hannah Kilpatrick

Summary
Sam Berns was the subject of the HBO documentary “Life According To Sam,” which documented his living with what is formally called Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome. He passed away Friday night at the young age of 17 due to complications from the rare genetic disease, which causes premature, accelerated aging. He was a student at Foxborough High School and he played the snare drum in the marching band. He didn't let the fact that he weighed all of 50 pounds or that the average life span of someone with progeria is 13 years discourage him. He attended his school's homecoming dance. And above all, he kept his head up. "All in all, I don't waste energy feeling bad for myself," Berns said. "I surround myself with people that I want to be with. And I keep moving forward." He died a day before he was to be the Patriots’ honorary captain. "I loved Sam Berns and am richer for having known him," Patriots owner Robert Kraft said. "He was a special young man whose inspirational story and positive outlook on life touched my heart."

Analysis
It’s always so heartbreaking to see someone so young and full of life pass away. Progeria affects approximately one in every 4 million to 8 million infants; there are only about 200 children living with it worldwide. The genetic mutation tied to it causes those with the disease to produce the protein progerin, which blocks normal cell function. As they age rapidly, these children suffer from a loss of body fat and hair and an inability to gain weight. They are prone to developing osteoporosis, a disease where bones become weak and are more likely to break. Sam Bern was a survivor and he lived life to the fullest without regrets, and his story and his strength really is such an inspiration. He is stronger than we are and probably ever will be. It brings tears to my eyes knowing that someone so special has passed, but it brings joy to my heart knowing that he will never be forgotten, and he left his mark on this world.

Here is the link to my article:



1 comment:

  1. genetic mutations are so fascinating to me, but my question to expand on that is: if you were able to tell the genetic diseases in fetuses, would you want to find out? Or would our society start to eliminate children with birth defects? It's sad, but i know plenty of parents who dont want to father/mother a child who has a mental/ physical issue. :( RIP Sam, the fact that he lived to 17 is amazing.

    ReplyDelete