Sean Tuck Goes to Clemson University

PRO-Parents_Reach_Out_Newsletter_Winter_2008_-_2009.pdf (application/pdf Object)

Sean, 21 of Greenville, has Williams syndrome — a rare genetic condition, estimated to occur in 1 of
every 7,500 births, which causes medical and developmental problems. But Sean gives very little indication
of someone who is labeled “intellectually disabled.”
Bright, funny, and friendly, Sean is one of three area charter students in Clemson’s new LIFE program.
Sharon Sanders, program manager, said the program is a college school-to-job transition for these
youths, just like all high school graduates...
Clemson University students are already lining up to provide support for the program. Education majors
will assist with delivering lessons, developing curriculum, and evaluating progress. Other undergraduates
will serve as LIFE Mentors and will accompany the Clemson LIFE students to sporting events and theater
presentations, work out with them at the gym, go to movies, and share meals on or off campus. Even the
student government is currently considering options like which committees the students could serve on.
“This is a very exciting opportunity for us to help these students out and make a difference in their future
while also contributing to a more inclusive campus environment,” said one Clemson student, “and to be
part of something bigger than ourselves.”

Sociability Traced to Particular Region of Brain by Stanford Scientists - MarketWatch

Sociability Traced to Particular Region of Brain by Stanford Scientists - MarketWatch:

"STANFORD, Calif., Jan 27, 2009 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- People with a genetic condition called Williams syndrome are famously gregarious. Scientists, looking carefully at brain function in individuals with Williams syndrome, think they may know why this is so. The researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine showed that parts of a particular brain region known as the amygdala react more powerfully in Williams syndrome patients than in developmentally normal subjects--or in subjects with delays in development not caused by Williams syndrome--when exposed to facial expressions conveying positive emotions.
The study will be published Jan. 28 in the Journal of Neuroscience. Biopsychologist Brian Haas, PhD, a postdoctoral researcher at Stanford, shares first authorship of the study, with Debra Mills, PhD, of Bangor University in Gwynned, Wales. Haas conducts research in the laboratory of Allan Reiss, MD, the Howard C. Robbins Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Stanford, who is the paper's senior author. The work is part of an ongoing multicenter collaboration."

Telluride Inside... and Out:MacKenzie Mansour skis with TASP

Telluride Inside... and Out:MacKenzie Mansour skis with TASP:

"Fourteen year old MacKenzie Mansour, from Lone Oak, TX, has been skiing with Telluride Adaptive Sports Program this past week. MacKenzie has a rare genetic condition known as Williams Syndrome. That has not stopped her from enjoying our mountain. I had the privilege of skiing with MacKenzie for three days. The progress was inspiring to observe. The attached video shows the increase in confidence between her first and third runs in Ute Park her second day out. Hurray for you, MacKenzie."

Local woman has something to smile about

telegraphjournal.com - Local woman has something to smile about - Breaking News, New Brunswick, Canada

Michelle Arsenault, is a Saint John woman with Williams Syndrome.

Her debilitating condition caused her to have severe dental issues throughout her life, with teeth so misaligned they were almost in three rows. The condition of her teeth made it difficult to chew and swallow food.

Arsenault, who lives with her single mother Darlene Gallant and sister Jocelyn, works at Key Industries. Her family was unable to afford the dental work she required to fix her teeth.

That is, until the dental committee of the Saint John Kiwanis Club stepped in to pay for the procedures.

After four years, Arsenault has a Colgate smile.

Atypical right diaphragmatic hernia (hernia of Morgagni), spigelian hernia and epigastric hernia in a patient with Williams syndrome: a case report - 7thSpace Interactive

Atypical right diaphragmatic hernia (hernia of Morgagni), spigelian hernia and epigastric hernia in a patient with Williams syndrome: a case report - 7thSpace Interactive:

"These multiple hernias suggest that patients with Williams syndrome may have some connective tissue disorder which makes them prone to develop hernias especially associated with those parts of the body which may have intracavity pressure variations like the abdomen.

Diaphragmatic hernia may be the cause of chest pain in these patients. A computed tomography scan helps in early diagnosis, and laparoscopic repair helps in prevention of further complications, and leads to quick recovery especially in patients with learning disabilities.

In the presence of significant comorbidities, a less invasive operative procedure with quick recovery becomes advisable."