Hi, My name is Gabriell and I was born in Taunton MA on October 10th 1999. I was diagnosed with PA at birth through the newborn screening. I live a pretty normal life! I am currently a 9th grader at a great school. I now live in Fryeburg Maine with my parents and my younger sister. I love to dance and I currently am on the Act One Dance Companies competitive dance team! I also ski, play softball, soccer and really enjoy hanging out with my friends! I didn’t always live so normally. I was in and out of hospitals the first 10 years of my life. I had everything from just a virus to scarlett fever and everything in between. I have always been on a low protein diet but i didn’t start any medication until I was 5. I am very small (4’11) and sometimes kids say hurtful things, but I remember my mom always telling me “great things come in small packages”, plus my family and friends love me the way I am! When I was 5 I started on carnitine. When I was 11 I started on my protein replacement formula. I hate it but I know I have to drink it. I don’t have any learning disabilities, heart problems or any other severe medical complications that go along with having PA. I am very grateful to have had the care from my parents and doctors to keep me healthy all these years! I love them all tremendously, and couldn’t have done his without them! I do worry about my future, but I’m very grateful to have lived this long with only a few hiccups along the way! I will continue to live my life in the moment a cherish each relationship, friendship and learning experience I encounter! I pray one day there will be a cure! Thank you for all the research everyone does!
October 10th 1999. I was diagnosed with PA at birth through the newborn screening. I live a pretty normal life! I am currently a 9th grader at a great school. I now live in Fryeburg Maine with my parents and my younger sister. I love to dance and I currently am on the Act One Dance Companies competitive dance team! I also ski, play softball, soccer and really enjoy hanging out with my friends! I didn’t always live so normally. I was in and out of hospitals the first 10 years of my life. I had everything from just a virus to scarlett fever and everything in between. I have always been on a low protein diet but i didn’t start any medication until I was 5. I am very small (4’11) and sometimes kids say hurtful things, but I remember my mom always telling me “great things come in small packages”, plus my family and friends love me the way I am! When I was 5 I started on carnitine. When I was 11 I started on my protein replacement formula. I hate it but I know I have to drink it. I don’t have any learning disabilities, heart problems or any other severe medical complications that go along with having PA. I am very grateful to have had the care from my parents and doctors to keep me healthy all these years! I love them all tremendously, and couldn’t have done his without them! I do worry about my future, but I’m very grateful to have lived this long with only a few hiccups along the way! I will continue to live my life in the moment a cherish each relationship, friendship and learning experience I encounter! I pray one day there will be a cure! Thank you for all the research everyone does!