Category: Living With Gaucher Disease

As of early October 2020, the world has been grappling with the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic for about eight months. Globally, more than 35 million cases of the coronavirus have resulted in more than 1 million deaths. In the current wave, 99% of cases are mild, while 1% of people with COVID-19 are… Read More »

In your small and large intestines—the human gut—you host trillions of microbial cells. These microorganisms make up the microbiome, the bacterial community that affects how you digest food, process nutrients, and interact with every aspect of the physical world. For everyone, but especially people living with chronic metabolic conditions like Gaucher disease, the gut microbiome… Read More »

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), signed into law in 2010, significantly expanded access to health insurance in the U.S. Also known as “Obamacare” or PPACA, the ACA created health insurance exchanges where people can enroll in insurance coverage that isn’t tied to employment. The federal government operates HealthCare.gov, an exchange that currently… Read More »

In today’s overwhelming environment, it’s more important than ever to develop emotional resilience—the ability to recover from stress and anxiety. With constant device usage, adults, teens, and kids face a never-ending news cycle and pressures from social media. Add the challenges of living with a chronic condition like Gaucher disease, and developing life skills that… Read More »

Stress always exists, but at times like now, amid the coronavirus pandemic, it’s a global phenomenon. As you watch events unfold in your communities and around the world, you aren’t alone if you feel lonely, anxious, and worried. In one way or another, everyone on the planet has been affected—directly or indirectly—by COVID-19, the disease… Read More »

Two thirds of Gaucher patients have some evidence of bone disease that is directly related to the disease. Gaucher bone disease may lead to serious orthopedic complications but it is not a cancerous condition. Doctors know that a much smaller number of people with GD can develop multiple myeloma, a malignancy of bone marrow plasma… Read More »

Rare diseases can affect all aspects of a patient’s life, not just physical health. If you have Gaucher disease, it’s not just about finding a treatment that’s effective. Finding supportive resources, including peers who also live with the disease, can help you cope with your condition—and empower you to take charge of your health. Aviva… Read More »

Growth in Gaucher: Managing Bone Health Dr. Heather A. Lau, MD, MS, Assistant Professor and Director of the Lysosomal Storage Disorders Program at New York University School of Medicine, discusses managing bone health for those who have Gaucher disease with an emphasis on the impact early intervention and treatment, particularly when introduced before or during… Read More »

Unlike other health problems, which may only affect one specific part of the body, mental health issues have the potential to impact a person’s entire life. From social well-being to emotional response, your mental health directly impacts your mood, behavior, and patterns of thinking. Mental Health and Chronic Diseases According to the World Health Organization,… Read More »

The more we learn about Gaucher disease, the more we understand how it affects complex cellular interactions among various body systems. As familiarity with Gaucher disease grows, more people recognize the hallmark symptoms of this disorder, such as spleen and liver enlargement and problems with certain blood components. But difficult-to-treat bone disorders are also common… Read More »