Bay View Fifth-Grader Raising Awareness About Marfan Syndrome

EAST PROVIDENCE, RI - From St. Mary Academy - Bay View: February is a month in which we celebrate love, observe Lent, and honor black history. But did you know it's also Marfan Awareness month? About 1 in 5,000 people have the Marfan syndrome and many don't even know they have it, but one Bay View family is looking to change that.

Melissa Keller (East Providence, RI), a 5th grader at St. Mary Academy - Bay View, was diagnosed with Marfan Syndrome at the age of six, but unlike 75% of patients diagnosed with Marfan, she did not inherit the syndrome, she was the first in her family to have it after a spontaneous gene mutation, which makes her case even rarer.

According to the Marfan Foundation, "Marfan syndrome affects many parts of the body including the heart, blood vessels, bones and joints [...] and some of the more common Marfan characteristics include tallness, long fingers, and dissection of the aorta."* Without proper treatment, these conditions can worsen over time, which is why Melissa and her Mother Vera, a faculty member at Bay View, have put together a Marfan Awareness table in the Walsh Dining Room. It's their hope that through this table, they can help raise awareness about the Marfan Foundation, which works towards raising awareness and funds to support doctors and scientists as they do research to learn more about connective tissue disorders and improve the lives of Marfan patients.

*General information taken from the Marfan Foundation, www.marfan.org/about/marfan

St. Mary Academy - Bay View is an independent Catholic School for girls open to all faiths, Pre-kindergarten through Grade 12, located in East Providence, Rhode Island and sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy. In existence since 1874, Bay View endeavors to provide a quality education preparing girls and young women for the challenges of the global community. St. Mary Academy - Bay View is a college preparatory school accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges.

About the Sisters of Mercy: The Sisters of Mercy – an international community of Roman Catholic women – dedicate their lives to God through vows of poverty, chastity, obedience and service. For more than 180 years, motivated by the Gospel of Jesus and inspired by the spirit of their founder, Catherine McAuley, the Sisters of Mercy have responded to the continually changing needs of the time.

Photo credit: Sara Del Signore