Mrs. New England Dream 2007 Seeks to Raise Awareness of Rare Disease

[Guest guest]

Mrs. New England Dream 2007 Seeks to Raise Awareness of Rare Disease

By Carraro

Staff Writer

Recorder - New Britain,CT

http://clubs.ccsu.edu/recorder/news/news_item.asp?NewsID=210

Mrs. New England Dream 2007, Starks, is using her title to get

her voice heard. Starks currently suffers from fibrosing

mediastinitis and is doing everything possible to raise awareness

about the rare disease.

Fibrosing mediastinitis is due to histoplasmosis, a common fungus in

the soil of the Midwest and some eastern states. Most who inhale the

fungus suffer no more than flu-like symptoms. One in every 100,000

people has a reaction to the fungus, their body creating

calcifications in and around vital airways of the heart and lungs.

There are only 300-400 of these diagnosed cases in the United

States. Patients with the disease are usually young but many

discover their condition too late, when there has already been much

damage to their vital airways or blood vessels.

The common complaints of those suffering with FM include cough,

dyspnea, recurrent pulmonary infection, hemoptysis, pleuritic chest

pain, facial and upper extremity edema or swelling.

Starks suffers daily from her condition. She often coughs up blood

due to engorged vessels around her heart and lungs as well as

suffering from shortness of breath due to loss of blood flow to her

right lung. She gets a CT scan and MRI's every 6-9 months and

angioplasty procedures every 12-24 months.

Her son Zachary was born 8 weeks prematurely and she is no longer

able to have children because of the disease.

" I live every day to its fullest and spend as much time as possible

with my family, " she said. " I never know when something related to

FM will happen and send me to the hospital. "

Starks added, " It is my hope that a cure will be found in the next

20 years. It is imperative that research is started soon. "

She will be hosting a fundraising evening with the New Britain Rock

Cats on June 2, 2007. All proceeds from the game will benefit the

first and only fund dedicated to the research of FM, The FM Fund.

Donations can be made or more information obtained at

www.mrsnewengland2007. com.