Fighting For the Lives of Children

Notre Dame scientists seek to help people who are suffering the most by pursing cures for rare and neglected diseases, like Niemann-Pick Type C that has no cure.

Three of Cindy and Mike Parseghian’s four children lost their lives to a disease called Niemann-Pick Type C, an extremely rare neurodegenerative syndrome without a cure. At Notre Dame, Kasturi Haldar works at the Center for Rare and Neglected Diseases, searching for a cure for this vicious genetic disorder.

The first in this year’s series of “What Are You Fighting For?” ads aired last Saturday during the Notre Dame vs. Nevada game. This installment featured Dr. Kasturi Haldar, Notre Dame biology professor and chair of the Center for Rare and Neglected Diseases.

Among the afflictions that Prof. Haldar works to cure, is Niemann-Pick Type C. Though this disease even sounds obscure, it is very real to Mike and Cindy Parseghian. Three of their four children were born with, and eventually died from, this syndrome. Prof. Haldar hopes that her research will lead to new treatments and cures, so that a rare disease diagnosis, like Niemann-Pick, is no longer a death sentence.

Fighting for the lives of children; it's one more battle our faculty and students couldn't wage without your support. Thank you.