Spring Picnic

At the picnic on May 18th there were fun games and delicious foods.  All the people including me had an awesome time. We kids had fun playing at the playground, riding our bikes or scooters, and running around in the field. There were also a game which was three legged race. It was really fun playing that game. The adults had fun relaxing and talking with their family and friends. The foods were even better. There was barbecued hot dog and burgers that's smell filled the air. The Rescue Rangers also had a table. There you could sign up for our upcoming summer camp, donate to sick children, or fill in our survey. In the survey it had 2 questions. 1. Are you a organ donor? 2. If not, are you interested in becoming one. We got 17 people to fill it in. There was also a cake that read "Rescue Rangers". It was very yummy. That picnic day was a vary fun and exciting.

The Delicious Cake

Having fun in the park!

Cystic Fibrosis by Hana S. Hubert

               Cystic fibrosis is a disease passed down through families that causes thick, sticky mucus to build up in the lungs, digestive tract, and other areas of the body. It is one of the most common chronic lung diseases in children and young adults. It is a life-threatening disorder. Cystic fibrosis (CF) is caused by a defective gene which causes the body to produce more then normal thick and sticky fluid, called mucus. This mucus builds up in the breathing passages of the lungs and in the pancreas, the organ that helps to break down and absorb food.This collection of sticky mucus results in life-threatening lung infections and serious digestion problems. The disease may also affect the sweat glands and a man's reproductive system.

                 Millions of Americans carry the CF gene, but do not have any symptoms. That's because a person with CF must inherit two defective CF genes -- one from each parent. An estimated 1 in 29 Caucasian Americans have the CF gene. The disease is the most common, deadly, inherited disorder in the United States. It's more common among those of Northern or Central European descent. Most children with CF are diagnosed by age 2. A small number, however, are not diagnosed until age 18 or older. These patients usually have a milder form of the disease. Please donate so that we can give the money to hospitals to continue to do research and help families that can't afford the expensive treatment.

The Park Day Picnic! by Hana Sabrine Hubert

             On Sunday May 18th, 2014, Zakat Foundation held a picnic at Fox Point Park with a breathtaking view of the Delaware River. The day was sunny and slightly breezy. Friends and families gathered in this lovely day to share a meal of grilled beef and hot dogs as well as fruits and desserts. Some adults took the time to take a stroll while enjoying the view. 

                The park was a perfect setting for kids to let loose and have some fun. Many of them were seen  having fun playing in the playground while others played a game of football. There were also those who rode their bikes and scooters all around the park. There was three legged races, which I participated in,  and balloon races. 

                 
                 The Rescue Rangers had a table to advertise their latest fundraising which is for the children's  hospitals. We are raising awareness about rare diseases that affect young kids and the possibility of being an organ donor. We gave away a beautifully decorated cake and also passed out survey questionnaires on organ donation. Most people were not organ donors, but some wanted to be, which means that in the future they might become one! Out 17 people, only two were organ donors, and 6 would like to be. We hope to do more surveys in various different places to raise awareness about organ donation.

              All in all, it was a lovely day to spend some time having fun.

 

Down Syndrome By Meryem Kose

Down Syndrome is a rare disease. When people have Down Syndrome they have 47 chromosomes when they are supposed to have 46. A chromosome is something in your body that makes you special. About  250,000 people have Down Syndrome in U.S. You can have Heart Defects. If you have a Heart Defect you have trouble breathing. You may also have memory loss, hearing loss, and a lot of other things. You can have slanted eyes, a short neck, a small mouth, and small hands and feet. They learn how to walk and talk later then normal children. There is no cure for Down Syndrome. I hope now you know what Down Syndrome is!

Picnic

On May 18, there will be a picnic. Come and enjoy fun time with your family and friends. There will also be a table for the Rescue Rangers. There you can donate and buy pretty bracelets. Of course, all proceeds go to the children who suffer from many different sicknesses and rare diseases. We will be also handing out a survey about if you are an organ donor or not. An organ donor is someone who lets doctors take their organs when they die. They do that so people who need those organs later can use it. Do not miss out this opportunity to become an organ donor! I hope to see you there.

Come and enjoy a fun time with family and friends!

Child Life by Hana Sabrine Hubert

   Child life specialists are pediatric health care professionals who work with children and families in hospitals and other settings to help them cope with the challenges of hospitalization, illness, and disability. They provide children with age-appropriate preparation for medical procedures, pain management and coping strategies, and play and self-expression activities. They also provide information, support, and guidance to parents, siblings, and other family members. Child life specialists collaborate with parents and other health care professionals to meet the distinct needs of children in managing the effects of stress and trauma. Because children may feel overwhelmed, child life professionals help children gain a sense of familiarity and control of their environment through play and exploration inside the healthcare facility. Understanding that a child’s well-being depends on the support of the family, they also provide information, support and guidance to parents, siblings, and other family members.

          I think that the Child Life section should have an area where they can create their own movie, so that they can express what they are going through, feeling, or love, in a cartoon. I have an app called Toontastic, and I created a movie based on a book I read, and I could draw the characters, and animate them through an adventure of my choice, and I could even choose the feelings for each scene. I hope that we can raise awareness so that the children can know that their are people out there that care.

MMA Methylmalonic Acidemia

Methylmalonic Acidemia by.Aadil Syed

Methylmalonic acidemia is also called MMA, and it is an autosomal recessive metabolic disorder.It is a classical type of acidemia.

Methaylmalonic acidemia stems from several genotypes and secondary hyperammonemia. The disorder can result in death if undiagnosed or left untreated.

Ginetic

The inherited forms of methylmalonic acidemia cause defects in the metabolic pathway where methylmalonyl-coenzyme A (CoA) is converted into succinyl-CoA by the enzyme methylmalonyl-CoA mutase.

Vitamin B is also needed for the conversion of methylmalonyl-CoA to Succinyl-CoA. Mutations leading to defects in vitamin B₁₂ metabolism or in its transport frequently result in the development of methylmalonic acidemia.

This disorder has an autosomal recessive inheritance pattern and this means that the defective gene is located on an autosome, and two copies of the gene—one from each parent and this must be inherited to be affected by the disorder. The parents of a child with an autosomal recessive disorder are carriers ( a carrier is a person who has a g of one copy of the defeene but it is not dominant so they don’t hagenee it but their offspring may have it) , but are usually not affected by the disorder.

Nutrition

A severe nutritional deficiency of vitamin B₁₂ can also result in methylmalonic acidemia.^[6] Methylmalonyl CoA requires vitamin B₁₂ to form succinyl-CoA. When the amount of B₁₂ is insufficient for the conversion of cofactor methylmalonyl-CoA into succinyl-CoA, the buildup of unused methylmalonyl-CoA eventually leads to methylmalonic acidemia. This diagnosis is often used as an indicator of vitamin B₁₂deficiency in serum.^[7]

Pathogenesis

Methylmalonic acidemia has varying diagnoses, treatment requirements and prognoses, which are determined by the specific genetic mutation causing the inherited form of the disorder.^[4] The following are the known genotypes responsible for methylmalonic acidemia