Parents Make Plea To Save Son From Mystery
Illness

POSTED: 6:02 pm EST February 23, 2007
UPDATED: 8:32 pm EST February 23, 2007

You may have received the e-mail or the video mail
from two local parents fighting desperately to save
the life of their son.

NBC 10 News Medical Reporter Cherie Bank said it's
heart-wrenching and compelling and makes you long
to help.

Seeing Ben Wallace with his family is sadder yet,
knowing he has the same genetic illness that took
the life of his brother, Zach.

"We just say, 'You have a brother who's with God.
He's your special angel who's always going to be
there for you," said Nathalie Wallace, the boy's
mother.

The problem is the illness that killed Zach and
plagues Ben, but not their sister Olivia, is so rare
it has no name.

"The body begins destroying blood cells. Clots
end up forming, and you can have damage to
your kidneys and your brain," said Dr. Edward
Attiyeh of the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

Zach had his first seizures around 10 months old.

"Then we found out he was blind, he was paralyzed
from the waist down … and I was nine months
pregnant with Olivia on my knees at his bedside
just saying, 'God, what is happening? What is this?'"
said Nathalie Wallace.

Now, Ben has had the same problems.

"It's just so hard to believe he's the only one in the
world, and maybe through more people viewing
this … that maybe someone will be able to help
more than we're being helped now," said Don
Wallace, the father.

Attiyeh said Ben's problems are triggered by a
missing protein.

While doctors search for what protein it is, they
treat Ben by replacing all of his proteins through
plasma transfusions every week.

"I want a cure. I want an answer. I want a doctor
who says this is what it is and this is how we can
fix it," said Nathalie Wallace.

"I'm not going to lose him … he's going to be OK.
He has to," she said.

The family has taken their boys to the Mayo Clinic,
Johns Hopkins and the best children's hospital in the
country, here in Philadelphia.

While they can treat Ben's symptoms, no one can give
the disease a name.

Ben's doctors say his illness is related to a family of
diseases that are called with TTP (Thrombotic
Thrombocytopenic Purpea, or atypical HUS
(Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome), where the trigger
is an abnormal or missing protein in your plasma.

The result triggers these flares in which blood cells
start breaking down. Doctors don't know if this is a
genetic disease carried on the X chromosome or if
it is autosomal recessive.

If you have any scientist in your family with any
ideas, here's a link to the Ben's family's Web site:
ZacharyWallaceFund.com.

Copyright 2007 by NBC10.com. All rights reserved.

http://www.nbc10.com/health/11096996/detail.html?dl=mainclick

http://www.zacharywallacefund.com./

Video Link:
http://video.nbc10.com/player/?id=65221

NBC10.com:
http://www.nbc10.com/index.html

_____
Medical Mystery
Stephanie Abrams reports a family is dealing
with a medical mystery after two of their
children came down with an unknown illness
that has doctors puzzled:

Video Link:
http://cbs3.com/video/?id=36756@kyw.dayport.com

Story: Medical Mystery
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www.themissionbell.org