There are DIY projects, and then there’s what Jill Viles did.
The mother from Iowa made a medical breakthrough that changed her life, and that of an Olympic athlete, and she did it by herself.
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Viles suffers from a rare genetic condition — Emery-Dreifuss muscular dystrophy — that causes muscle loss, and she had spent her life wondering why she was unable to walk. Doctors couldn’t pinpoint the reason, so Viles decided that she would take a stab at it. She hit the books, researching Emery-Dreifuss muscular dystrophy to find an explanation.
As she became an expert on the subject, she noticed that a similar condition might cause the exact opposite effect: It could build muscle.
She reached out to Canadian Olympian Priscilla Lopes-Schliep, who is remarkably muscular, and convinced the three-time medalist to test her genes.
Amazingly, Viles’ theory was proven right. The pair shared a similar gene mutation, one of which built massive muscles and one of which didn’t.
Source: Getty Images
“We both have a genetic disorder that comes down to a single letter change in our DNA in the same gene,” Viles told USA Today’s Humankind.
The two women bonded, and in the process of testing Lopes-Schliep’s DNA, doctors found that the hurdler had a major pancreatic issue. Had Viles never reached out to Lopes-Schliep and never convinced her to take the test, the retired athlete could have become very sick.
Source: Getty Images
Viles is now using her expertise and her platform to raise awareness about Emery-Dreifuss muscular dystrophy. Her research helps people all over the world. She also has started a GoFundMe page to raise money for EDMD research. You can read more about her story and donate to the cause here.
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