From the time she was born, Dana R. of Pottstown, Pennsylvania, struggled with an illness that her parents and doctors were trying to figure out. At the age of 4, Dana was taken to the Children’s Hospital in Philadelphia where she underwent genetic testing and was diagnosed with Prader-Willi syndrome. A few of the key characteristics of this disease are weak muscle tone, poor growth, and chronic overeating due to lack of an enzyme signaling that the body is full. In some cases, children can eat themselves to death.
Because of this, Dana has struggled with weight her entire life.
For a young girl, this can be particularly devastating. Now at 17 years old, Dana has managed to find a way to combat the disease by incorporating fitness into her life.