Marrow Failure and Myelodysplasia Program Website
The Marrow Failure and Myelodysplasia Program has launched their website at http://www.sickkids.ca/mfmp. The Program's mission is to promote clinical care, research and education. They aim to treat all patients with these conditions from the Toronto Greater Area, but we are also happy to receive referrals for consultations from any other sites in Canada or Abroad.
What is Shwachman-Diamond Syndrome?
Shwachman-Diamond Syndrome (SDS) is a rare genetic disorder that occurs in approximately one in 50,000 births. SDS affects many organs in the body and the symptoms may vary from individual to individual.
The primary features of SDS include: bone marrow problems (leading to inadequate production of some types of white blood cells), a defect in the pancreas (leading to difficulties in digesting food), skeletal abnormalities, and short stature. Other, secondary, features may affect some but not all people with SDS.
People with SDS are at risk for serious, sometimes fatal, complications such as severe infections, acute myelogenous leukemia and bone marrow failure.