Dna Today: A Genetics Podcast

To kick off rare disease month, author Patti M. Hall joins host Kira Dineen to discuss her memoir Loving Large which chronicles her son’s rare disease diagnostic odyssey. Her life was pitched into an abyss of uncertainty when a golf ball–sized tumour was discovered in her teenage son’s head and he was diagnosed with gigantism, a disease of both legend and stigma. After scrambling to access a handful of medical experts in the field, Patti learned that her son could grow uncontrollably, his mobility could be permanently limited, and his life could be cut short without timely and aggressive treatment. Patti’s attention shifted fully to her son, away from her relationships as well as her own career and health. Her new normal sees her step into a dozen additional roles, including nurse, researcher, advocate, risk assessor, and promise maker, while she struggles and fails to rebuild her life as a recently divorced woman. When the unthinkable strikes, parents Love LARGE. Now, Patti serves as an advocate for the rare