next entry1 In 100 Million
Not everything in life is as simple as DNA
A busy old day for me today - something which I can only attribute to the fact that I made a to-do list to get me motoring. So rather than just sitting and contemplating all the things that I need to do, and not doing them, I've got something to aim for, such as ticking things off as I go along.
So as I gradually trundle through my list of things to do, including the usual house clean, a bit of work, paying bill and the like, I actually feel like I'm accomplishing something - albeit small things that aren't really going to solve world poverty or such like, but things that have been weighing on my mind and needed to be resolved.
With the list almost complete by the time Phil gets home (Ok, so I didn't quite finish everything!) I'm about ready to mellow out a bit and I watch a documentary that we recorded the other night.
Entitled "The Six Stone Baby", it's the story of Archie Thompson, a 2 year old who currently weighs in at 6 stone (37.8 kg or thereabouts), and is gaining weight at an astonishing rate. But it's not through over feeding or an excessive diet, Archie is suffering from a rare genetic disorder known as Momo Syndrome, with about 1 in 100 million people suffering from it. To put that in perspective, there are only 3 other documented cases in the world.
It's a very moving account of the prejudices the family faces - from Social Services investigating the parents for abuse, to anonymous neighbours putting slimming products on the family's front door step with notes saying "It's a shame they don't make this for babies" - and of course the usual medical diagnosis of anything unexplained resulting in Archie's lifespan being described as life limited.
But there is some light at the end of the tunnel as Archie's Mum travels to Brazil to meet Danielli, a 17 year old girl who also suffers from MoMo and despite her difficulties is living a happy and fulfilling life.
Archie - larger than life, and living it.
Diagnosing Archie has resulted in a lot of research into his disorder, and a spin off from that is that Doctors are someway towards relating what happens with MoMo to other weight problems that the general population seem to suffer. This of course in no way excuses bad eating habits and the like, but there is the possibility that the reason some people gain weight so easily could be attributed to the fact that somewhere along the line their genes are responsible.
What saddens me about this whole thing is the fact that people are openly bigoted towards those who may suffer weight issues - and from this documentary it's quite easy to see that those who are intolerant are unintelligent enough to not realise that for some, being fat just isn't a choice.
Posted by Abi on the May 31, 2005 9:06 PM
I would just like to say that I am truly sorry for the known people in the world with MOMO Syndrome. I hope that their fanilies will be able to cope with the rough news, but they should be glad to know that Danielle Ferdun has lived to be 17 years old with the disease. So hope is out there they just need to look for it.
i watched the documentary about archie and so wished that someone would take away his and his parents pain mainly myself i cried so much after that programme i hope archie lived and i hope his parents get to keep their beautifal son i have experienced my child passing away i don't want these people tp be put through that