Students walked, skipped and ran around the grounds of the Silas Wood Sixth Grade Center on Thursday, all part of an effort to support a teacher and her son, who contends with a rare medical condition.
Ginny Stair, an English teacher at Silas Wood, her husband, Brian, who owns Oxford Restoration in Huntington, and their son, John, 14, joined in the walk, which was designed to raise awareness of Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia and the CARES Foundation.The condition refers to a group of genetic disorders that affect the adrenal glands.
“Due to the rareness of CAH, my family and I have struggled to find the best medical care for John. CARES Foundation has been there for us every step of the way. CARES helps families like mine all around the world find the best doctors, clinical trials, financial and emotional support, and medications,” Ginny said. “We’re hoping to raise awareness and funds. We’re close to that pivotal point of hopefully finding a cure and better medications to treat people like my son.”
An estimated one in 10,000 people in the United States have the the classic condition, according to the Cleveland Clinic. The rare condition can cause dehydration, low blood sodium levels, low blood pressure, irregular heart beat and low blood sugar.
The students and staff walked the perimeter of the school grounds four times before heading back to their classrooms.