Unanswered questions

As we were starting to construct the first-ever comprehensive natural history study of XLH, we realized it was a huge challenge, because, unlike some conditions, XLH affects pretty much every system of the body.

Scientists divide the human body into ten systems: 1) cardiovascular, 2) digestive, 3) endocrine, 4) integumentary/exocrine, 5) lymphatic/immune, 6) musculo-skeletal, 7) nervous, 8) renal/urinary, 9) reproductive, 10) respiratory.

It's immediately obvious that the endocrine, musculo-skeletal and renal (kidney) systems are relevant to XLH. The endocrine system regulates phosphorus and FGF23, muscle function and skeleton structure are adversely affected by elevated FGF23 and low phosphorus, and the kidneys are where the phosphate wasting occurs. Some digestive issues have been reported with phosphorus supplements. Some XLHers have nerve involvement as a secondary effect, when calcification impinges on nerves or when the patient has a Chiari malformation or syringomyelia (both of which may or may not be related to XLH).

What about the other, less obviously affected body systems? Wouldn't it be good to know if there's any correlation between XLH and an increased (or decreased!) risk of heart disease or elevated blood pressure? Between XLH and lung conditions? Between XLH and infertility? Or, more generally, and crossing a variety of systems: is there any correlation between XLH and an increased/decreased incidence in various forms of cancer? And what about pain and its treatment: what's the nature/extent of the pain, what's being prescribed and what, if anything, is most likely to be effective?

No one has those answers, in part because the questions have never been asked in a rigorously scientific manner. But we're hoping to change that soon!

The Network’s Registry and Data are part of the National Organization for Rare Disorders’(NORD) Natural History Program.We are thankful for NORD’s investment in the health and wellbeing of all rare disorder communities, including ours.

School's back .... Well, almost

It may only be mid-July but in just a few short weeks, school will be back in session! It can be a hectic time of the year, from shopping for clothing to making sure everything on the supply list is in the backpack before the first day.

Did you know there’s an easy way to shop for back to school AND support the Network at the same time? That’s right…and you can do it all from the comfort of your own home. No trips to the mall, no worrying about parking, no hustle and bustle. A few short clicks of the mouse and you will have everything you need and benefit those living with XLH.

When you shop on Amazon Smile or IGive and choose The XLH Network, Inc. as your charity, a portion of your purchases benefits us! It’s really that simple. If Amazon is your retailer of choice, visit smile.amazon.com and indicate The XLH Network, Inc. as your charity and you’ll be well on your way to taking advantage of all the great deals that Amazon offers. There’s a reason it’s the world largest marketplace, and now you can shop from the comfort of your own home and help those living with XLH.

IGive offers a similar option. You can choose from over 1700 online stores at the IGive Marketplace and a portion of your purchases will benefit The XLH Network, Inc. All you have to do is set up an account at IGive, select The XLH Network, Inc., as your charity, and you’re shopping, and helping, with one click of the mouse. Go here to set up an IGive Account: https://www.igive.com/welcome/lp16/cr64a.cfm

And remember, you don’t have to limit your online shopping to just back to school time. These programs are available throughout the year so keep it in mind for birthdays, Christmas, Father’s Day, Mother’s Day, anniversaries or "just because" days!

XLH Day Registration is Open!

XLH Day Registration is open at XLHDay.org. We think you'll be as excited as we are with everything we've got planned, from panel discussions to interactive discussions, a children's program, and even a picnic dinner at a local state park. You can see the list of speakers and the preliminary agenda here: http://xlhday.com/?page_id=1071

Before registering, please read the information about hotel accommodations here http://xlhday.com/?page_id=220  We don't have a grant to cover hotel costs for everyone this year, so the stipends will be granted on the basis of need. We understand the financial burdens of living with a rare disease, and we will do our best to accommodate everyone who could not attend without the financial assistance. For your own planning purposes and for ours, we encourage anyone who does need the help to apply for the stipend as early as possible in the registration period by contacting our Executive Director, Carol LaFleur at ExecutiveDirector@xlhnetwork.org

If you know anyone else with an XLHer in the family, please make sure they know about XLH Day. We don't want anyone to miss out on such a great experience!

Happy Independence Day!

We're all on vacation, but want to wish everyone in the U.S. a great Independence Day, and to everyone else we wish the best of your July holidays, including but not limited to:

Bastille Day Canada Day
Constitution Day
Day of the Sea
Emancipation Day
Family Day
Freedom Day
Heroes' Day
Liberation Day
National Day
Orangeman's Day
Republic Day
Revolution Day
Somers' Day
St. Peter's and St. Paul's Day
Union Day
United States Friendship Day
Unity Day