An interview with Terri Andrews, who is affected by ectrodactyly-ectodermal dysplasia-cleft lip/palate (EEC) syndrome and who had a 20-year career as a registered nurse. When you were growing up did you know you wanted to be a nurse? I always knew I wanted to be in the medical field but I wasn’t sure exactly what role…
Fulfilled by Fundraising for Our NFED Family
By Rich and Aimee Klinger We packed our four children and luggage into our nine-passenger suburban on Sunday July 22, 2012 and headed south from our home in Halifax, PA. As we departed, we were skeptical about our adventure. We had traveled 1050 miles in approximately 18 hours to Orlando, Florida to attend our first NFED Family Conference. We…
Geismar Family Gives Back with Annual Halloween Bash
By Alice Geismar Seventeen years ago this November, my husband, Bruce and I were awaiting the birth of our second grandchild. Our first grandson, Jack was almost two and we were enlisted to watch him while Ruth and Keith went to the hospital. It was immediately apparent that Ryan had serious problems. He looked like…
NFED Families on Capitol Hill
By Marc Steingesser NFED Liaison On Tuesday, September 29th, I represented the NFED on Capitol Hill along with Jeanne Wang and her son, Nollan, and Kristin Matus-Kelso and her daughter, Ally. We joined other rare skin disorder advocates and members from the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) to share our concerns and issues with members…
A Lighthouse to Guide our Lifeboat
By Jenny Steele Three years ago, we heard the term ectodermal dysplasia for the first time. An internet search introduced us to the NFED. With a few clicks of the mouse, we found a wealth of information and a community of people who understood what we were facing. The NFED family would become a lighthouse…
EEC Chick at Work
By Heather McKelvie I volunteer for the NFED because I want to be part of something that is bigger than myself. When I was growing up, I secretly hoped that someone I knew would have a child with EEC, or at the very least, with a cleft lip and palate, or ectrodactyly. I imagined that…
Sharing the Excitement of Research
By Maranke Koster, Ph. D. I first became aware of the NFED, and of ectodermal dysplasias, while investigating the role of a gene by the name of p63. The striking similarities between mice lacking a functional p63 gene and individuals affected by ectodermal dysplasias suggested a role for p63 in these disorders. Sure enough, it…
Seeking the Solution to Dry Eyes – Part 3
Read Part 1 and Part 2 of Bracee’s story. When we last left off, Bracee was having a difficult time getting the PROSE lenses in and was feeling very frustrated… I talked to my mom on the phone and as usual, she had the right answers. The final solution for my anxiety turned out to be…