A patient reflects on chronic illness-and support from family and physicians.
Note: This editorial was a college essay; the assignment was to write an acceptance speech for an award given for something the student had accomplished. Tim Prevou has been treated since age 6 by Dr. Virginia Pascual, a pediatric rheumatologist and researcher at Baylor Research Institute. Dr. Pascual collaborated with Dr. Carol Wise, who found the mutated gene responsible for PAPA syndrome; she and her team later found that IL-1 blockade was an effective therapy. Dr. Pascual commented: "This therapy completely cured Tim's twin brothers and completely resolved Tim's arthritis. Tim's severe pyoderma lesions took more effort, but eventually we also got them under control. ... He is the only patient over 18 years old that I still see in the clinic. ... I am very proud of him."
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