Awarness Month!

November is Alpha-1 awareness month. My Dad suffers from alpha along with other members of my family. It is a very near and dear thing to me. Over the last 4 years since my Dad has been diagnosed things have drastically taken a turn in my life, things have changed and I now Know what it is like to live with someone who is chronically ill. It can be very straining and stressful. It is sometime very difficult to deal with but you need to keep a positive attitude to get through it. Many people have never heard of Alpha-1 and I am here to change that. If I can save just one person from having to go through what my family has gone through because they Know what Alpha is then I feel I have done my Job.  There is hope that Alpha can be cured, help provide awareness and that will help a cure be found.

Below is a description of what Alpha-1 is from the Alpha-1 Foundation.

Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency (Alpha-1) is a condition that is passed from parents to their children through their genes. This condition may result in serious lung and/or liver disease at various ages in life. For each trait a person inherits, there are usually two genes and one gene comes from each parent. People with Alpha-1 have received two defective alpha-1 antitrypsin genes. One defective gene came from their mother and one from their father. There are many types of defective alpha-1 antitrypsin genes.   Alpha-1 occurs when there is a lack of a protein in the blood called alpha-1 antitrypsin or AAT that is produced by the liver. The main function of AAT is to protect the lungs from inflammation caused by infection and inhaled irritants such as tobacco smoke. The low level of AAT in the blood occurs because the AAT is abnormal and cannot be released from the liver at the normal rate. This leads to a build up of abnormal AAT in the liver that can cause liver disease and a decrease of AAT in the blood that can lead to lung disease.

Alpha-1 has been identified in virtually all populations and ethnic groups. It is estimated that about 1 in every 2,500 Americans have Alpha-1. For more information go to www.alpha1.org !

Spread the Word! Hope is Still Alive!

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