BestieIf you’re living your life with a clean bill of health, consider yourself very fortunate. There are many people in this world that are living with deadly diseases and infections that cannot be cured. Some people are dealing with cancer and diabetes. Others are dealing with much rarer conditions. There is a story about a girl who ages 8 times faster than normal people.
If the people who are suffering in this world could have one wish, it would be to live a normal life. As much as we try to make sure that everyone has the ability to live a normal life, it’s just not possible for some.
For the full story of the girl who ages 8 times faster than her friends, please keep reading.
Lucy Parke was just eight years old when she passed away on New Year’s Day. She was full of joy and happiness but she was suffering from a rare condition called Hutchinson Gilford Progeria Syndrome. For those who are not familiar with this condition, it causes people to age prematurely.
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According to statistics, this condition affects one in every four million people. Statistics also estimate that only 134 children across 46 countries live with this condition. The main symptom that is present in the early stages of this condition is the hardening of the arteries at a young age. Other common symptoms are hair loss, body fat loss, and stunted growth with an average life expectancy of just 13 years.
KozakDmytro/shutterstock.comLucy was buried in a small pink coffin with a rainbow on it which was carried by her devastated father. She died surrounded by her family at home in Ballyward, Co. Down. Her parents Stephanie and David Parke told people not to send flowers. Instead, they requested people to donate to the Northern Ireland Children’s Hospice and other local organizations that helped Lucy through her short life.
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Lucy was born on November 10th, 2009. But barely four months after being born, she underwent a hip operation. She was also suffering from contractions of her ankles and knees. Her appetite was low and because of this she was not putting on a lot of weight. After she turned nine months, the doctors diagnosed her with Progeria, which is another term for Hutchinson Gilford Progeria Syndrome.
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Despite suffering from this rare condition, Lucy was just like any little girl. She loved to dance and sing and play with other little kids. But what separated her from other children was that she had stunted growth, suffered from arthritis and had severe heart problems.
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Lucy’s parents started a fund in Lucy’s name in 2010 shortly after she was diagnosed. It’s called The Lucy Parke Progeria Fund. The fund helps pay for her treatments as strangers, friends, and family all helped contribute.
JakkritOrrasri/shutterstock.comBefore the conditioned worsened, Lucy was living the life of a normal child. But once it became clear that the condition was dramatically affecting Lucy, her parents got in contact with doctors from the Progeria Research Foundation in America and France. They wanted to find out if there were any treatments that could help Lucy live a longer life.
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Stephanie believes that Lucy was sent to her and her husband for a reason and they thank God every day for it. Lucy enlightened the Parke family and helped them get closer to God because of her life. The family issued a statement the day Lucy passed away according to Belfast Live. The statement illustrates how many people were following this little girl’s life and how many people she impacted. She will be truly missed.
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