Regan Arts, September 2017In 2008, a young woman named Ali Guthy experienced eye pain out of the blue. Already extraordinary in her academic, athletic, and leadership achievements, at that moment she unknowingly became an example of the power of being rare.
Neuromyelitis optica (NMO) is an autoimmune disease that can cause inflammation and demyelination of the optic nerves and spinal cord. The devastating effects of NMO can include blindness, paralysis, or worse. A decade ago, fewer than 1 person out of 100,000 was thought to be afflicted with NMO worldwide. Like most autoimmune diseases, NMO predominantly afflicts females, and often strikes in the prime of life.
Although NMO is rare, autoimmune diseases collectively occur with the same incidence as heart disease, and twice that of cancer. Yet, little is known about the risks or causes of autoimmune diseases. And while therapies may tame some of them, treatments can increase the risks of infection and cancer. Few, if any, cures exist.
Even amid the complexities of autoimmune ...
