News and stories

All of the latest news and updates from Genetic Alliance UK can be found below. This includes the release of our latest reports and findings, as well as pieces that our member organisations have requested that we share.

 

We also share stories, images and experiences from those living with genetic, rare and undiagnosed conditions. Individuals affected by these conditions are at the heart of everything that we do and we want to champion these communities by amplifying their voices, individually and collectively. 

 

If you’d like to have your story included on our website then get in touch.

A headshot of a toddler wearing a wooly hat and coat with his head against his mum's shoulder.

The beginning of our undiagnosed journey

Date:

Brody, Me & GDD: Laura Rutherford shares her experience of what it was like in the early days when she didn’t have any answers about her son’s development

Raising awareness – Kevin’s story

Date:

Kevin ran the London Landmarks Half Marathon to raise money for SWAN UK and Rare Disease UK. He he tells us about his family’s experience the undiagnosed and rare communities and why he supports our work.

bristol bridge

Jesse’s Story – Undiagnosed Children’s Day

Date:

Jesse, a happy boy who had a wicked sense of humour. Six months before he was taken into intensive care he learnt to walk and managed to walk the length of the Suspension Bridge (now known to the family as Jesse’s Bridge). This is his story.

Introducing Helen Dennehy

Date:

Helen is a SWAN UK Parent Rep for Nottingham, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. After 19 years her son was diagnosed with hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.

Violet’s story

Date:

From her birth in 2022, Violet had many tests done. In 2023 she was diagnosed with TBCK syndrome. Violet's case was presenting as severe and life limiting. At 11 months old, she passed away. This is her story.

The Big Sunflower Project

Date:

The Big Sunflower Project aims to raise awareness of the rare neuromuscular conditions known as centronuclear and myotubular myopathy by asking people to grow a sunflower and share their sunflower photos online. The project was established in 2011 after founder Toni Abram and her father Mike were diagnosed with centronuclear myopathy.

Me and My ITP

Date:

Anthony was diagnosed with ITP in July 2006. In 2024 he realised that the rare auto immune disorder has taken up 28 per cent of his life.

Apparently it was all in my head

Date:

Tammy went through lots of tests and people telling her that symptoms were psychological before she finally got her diagnosis of eosinophilic gastroenteritis.

Elle’s story

Date:

Elle has been diagnosed with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome, Elhers Danlos type 3 and Gastroesophageal reflux disease. However this hasn't stopped her achieving her goals.

Chapman Shum’s story

Date:

Chapman was born blind, has speech difficulties, learning struggles, and symptoms of autism. Despite these hurdles and the absence of a clear diagnosis, he managed to become a talented pianist, winning awards at a competition in Taiwan.

Meet Becca and Elliot

Date:

Becca's son, Elliot, has been diagnosed with multiple things since he was bor. From a quadricuspid pulmonary valve, and ventricular septal defect after birth. To sensory processing disorder, speech delay and ADHD tendencies and anxiety, all of which led to challenging behaviour but no formal diagnosis

George’s Mast Cell Activation Syndrome story

Date:

In 2019 George began to feel unwell with constant infections, fatigue and gut symptoms which led to a glandular fever diagnosis. And finally an MCAS, Mast Cell Activation Syndrome diagnosis.