Donald Blake has a BS in Communication Studies. He has a lengthy tenure in the healthcare, media and education fields. He is dedicated to improving the lives of those with rare diseases through his knowledge of healthcare and communications.
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A story published on ESPN.com, and written by Jackie MacMullan, details NBA Hall of Fame inductee Nate "Tiny" Archibald's diagnosis of the rare disease amyloidosis. Amyloidosis occurs when a substance called amyloid builds…
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NBA Hall of Famer Diagnosed with Amyloidosis, Decides to Help Fellow Retirees
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Rare in Common, a new monthly podcast which features stories about patients with rare diseases, made its debut on Rare Disease Day, February 28th. The podcast's goal is to raise awareness and…
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A New Rare Disease Podcast Amplifies Patient Voices
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In an twist of fate, a brand new gene therapy for the treatment of Adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD) uses one of medicine's greatest nemesis, HIV, to treat this fatal genetic brain disease-- and…
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HIV is Key to a Novel Treatment of Adrenoleukodystrophy
A popular landscaping bush may be a major culprit in the spread of Lyme disease according to one story. The Japanese barberry plant (Berberis thunbergii) is a small invasive shrub that…
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An Increased Lyme Disease Risk May Be Lurking in Your Landscaping
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No couple wishes for a high risk pregnancy and a premature birth. But according to a story on The Today Show's website, new mother, Mallory Brinson, was grateful for…
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Pregnancy Leads Mom to an Early-Stage Acute Myeloid Leukemia Diagnosis
A recently published scientific letter in the Spanish medical journal, Endocrinología, Diabetes y Nutrición draws a link between the combined use of inhaled steroids and liver enzyme blockers and the development…
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The Combination of Drugs that May Cause Cushing Syndrome
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The first new treatment approved for amyotrophic later sclerosis (ALS) has generated a lot of excitement and enthusiasm in the ALS community since its approval in May of 2017, but…
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Radicava approval: Reality tempers excitement in ALS community
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A famous quote attributed to the Father of Western Medicine, Hippocrates, illuminates the importance of diet in disease treatment. For those who suffer from multiple sclerosis (MS), modern science might…
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Study: Multiple Sclerosis Patients Can Improve Outcomes with a Healthy Diet
Good news for patients who suffer from ankylosing spondylitis (AS). There may soon be a new option for treating their disease if the results of a new trial support the…
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New Trial to Examine Higher Doses of Approved Treatment in Ankylosing Spondylitis
Patients diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) have always lived with a grim prognosis. Many don't make it into their 20s and face debilitating symptoms years earlier-- a dark reminder…
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Gene Editing: A New Treatment Avenue for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy?
When you have a rare disease like Friedreich ataxia (FA), which affects only 50,000 people in the United States, it is pretty easy to feel alone and isolated. Usually, the…
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Social Media: Helping the Friedreich Ataxia Community Connect
According to a press release put out by PTC Therapeutics, Inc., the Office of Drug Evaluation of the Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday, Oct. 25th, 2017, sent a complete…
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Duchenne Community Disagrees with FDA’s Rejection of Ataluren
In a surprising development, Canadian researchers have discovered that a common drug used to treat acne may be of benefit to thousands of patients around the world who’ve been newly…
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A Surprising New Treatment for Multiple Sclerosis That is Actually Affordable
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The scenario is much more common today than in years past. A patient who doesn't abuse alcohol or have chronic hepatitis is admitted to the hospital, many times the ICU,…
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Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis as Deadly to Your Liver as Alcoholism
I’ve been known to doze off occasionally at odd times. My dad does this and so did my grandfather. And I know that's one of the symptoms of narcolepsy. My…
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Narcolepsy: What You Need to Know to Protect Your Family
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Could the microbes and flora of your stomach be responsible for the lower back pain you’ve suffered from since your college years? If the latest studies are any indication, your…
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Gut Health and AS: What You Need To Know
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Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS) is a systemic arthritis that attacks the patient's spine. In most cases, AS starts with lower back pain that is present every day for at least three…
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Ankylosing Spondylitis: Do You Know These 5 Things?
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One of the most heart-wrenching aspects of Lyme disease is the lengthy process that precedes an accurate diagnosis. Healthcare providers have a difficult time getting a handle on an accurate diagnosis…
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Did Lyme Disease Just Get Easier to Diagnose?
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C’mon! Get your friends moving and start walking. We’re taking steps to cure the world of a painful spine disease that can afflict its victims in early adulthood. May 7th…
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Did You Walk Your AS Off on Ankylosing Spondylitis Day?
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For many patients with Pulmonary hypertension (PH), their path to diagnosis of this rare lung disease starts with the feelings of exhaustion and general fatigue. In fact, some patients may…
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World Pulmonary Hypertension Day: Here’s the Scoop
The steely visage of our seventh president Andrew Jackson will disappear from the face of the $20 bill. Yes, “Old Hickory” has been fired from top billing on the venerable $20 note…
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Harriett Tubman & Narcolepsy: A Sleeper in the $20 Bill Sweepstakes