Stretcher-Bearers – a Column by Lori Dunham

One of the common symptoms of Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome (LEMS) is muscle weakness, which, for many, causes problems with balance and gait. When our daughter Grace was diagnosed at age 15, we could first see her symptoms in the way she walked. First, we noticed a slight…

Recently, my daughter Grace and I had the privilege of attending the Muscular Dystrophy Association’s MDA Clinical & Scientific Conference in Dallas. It was an honor for us to represent the Lambert-Eaton LEMS Family Association, along with three other members of the Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome (LEMS)…

“Continuous effort — not strength or intelligence — is the key to unlocking and using our potential.” — Liane Cordes Physical therapy is often the first step toward renewed strength for those with Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome (LEMS). Even before our daughter Grace was diagnosed with LEMS at…

Our daughter Grace is more than three years out from her diagnosis of Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome (LEMS). Until now, we’ve never met anyone in person who has LEMS. We’ve had wonderful friendships develop through Facebook groups, Bionews forums, Zoom town halls, and phone calls. But it’s not…

Last week, much of the northeastern United States was hunkered down for yet another nor’easter. As snow fell on our northern neighbors, here in the South, we were enjoying spring-like weather. Many of the local schools are out for spring break. My back porch is full of flowers blooming red…

What is the first thing most of us did when the doctor mentioned Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome (LEMS) as a possible diagnosis? We Googled it, of course. We know that, while the internet offers a wealth of information, it also documents every worst-case scenario. Still, desperate for information, we…

March brings with it a bag of mixed emotions for this mama’s heart. In March 2005, our daughter was born to a mother who would never watch her grow up. She made the hard decision to leave her at the gate of an orphanage instead. The following March, we…

When I hear statistics about how many people are affected by the rare disease Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome (LEMS), I’m overcome by the minuscule odds that my daughter Grace is one of them. How could such a rare and unknown illness affect my child? Having LEMS as an adult is…

I’m often surprised by the general lack of understanding about chronic illness and rare disease, which reminds me just how important it is to share our stories. In doing so, we can combat common misconceptions. Many friends and acquaintances knew about our daughter Grace’s declining health and eventual…

This week marks a new chapter in our daughter Grace’s rare disease journey. A few months ago, her pediatric neuromuscular neurologist announced that he was leaving his practice, and we had our final appointment with him last week. When Grace was diagnosed with Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome (LEMS)…