I was born with PKU (phenylketonuria), a rare genetic condition that affects how the body processes protein. Because of early newborn screening and the care my parents were able to give me right from the start, I had the chance to grow up healthy and thrive. Without that awareness, my life could have looked very different.

Now, as someone who has lived with PKU my entire life, I’m especially grateful for how far things have come with medical advances. I now have a healthy baby girl—something that once felt uncertain to me because of challenges with PKU that were overcome thanks to life changing medication.

Organizations like NPKUA make stories like mine possible. They fund research for better treatments, support families, and continue working toward a cure so future generations have even more opportunities and fewer limitations.

Every step I take is for the little girl I once was, for my daughter (who does not have PKU but is living proof that medical advances change lives), and for everyone living with PKU.

If you’re able to donate or share, it truly means so much to me. Thank you for being part of something that is changing lives.