ONCE UPON A GENE - Episode 091 - A Rare Collection - Re-Runs with Patrick James Lynch, Anna Laurent and Michelle Morganoff
There's power in storytelling- for the listener and the storyteller. A Rare Collection is a monthly series featuring three people from the rare disease community, sharing a story with a common theme. Patrick James Lynch, Michelle Fruhschien and Anna Laurent share stories of re-runs.
EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS
Patrick James Lynch
Patrick shares a story of him and his brother growing up with hemophilia, going to summer camp every year and getting to meet kids affected by a range of illnesses. They later went on to be camp counselors. After Patrick's little brother died, he was devastated and spent years struggling to move forward. He went back to camp as a head counselor, to find himself, to feel productive, to recollect the memories of the summers he spent at camp with his brother. With the closing announcements at the end of summer camp, Patrick felt he had said his final goodbye and realized that no re-run is ever the same as it is the first time you watch it.
Michelle Fruhschien
Special is a new comedy series on Netflix that has Michelle hooked. Special is about a young gay man with cerebral palsy, navigating his way into adulthood and dealing with the real issues that exist in our society. Michelle shares how certain episodes keep her coming back to watch the re-run time and time again. She reflects on how the story lines of each episode make her feel validated, feel seen and how her observations impact her as a mother to her two children- one neurotypical and one neurodiverse.
Anna Laurent
Anna shares a story about a small girl who can't be still, scratching her body, in discomfort, and mesmerized by Mulan on the TV. Night after night, the girl fixates on Mulan, she smiles and giggles and she's content with the movie's ending. She watches the movie over and over until her hands slow, her body relaxes and she's finally able to drift off to sleep. For years, the girl is affected by the symptoms of Alagille Syndrome and watching Mulan is her only ticket to a restful night's sleep. Anna shares how the movie offered comfort in difficult, medically complex times and how it still brings joy into her life as a young adult.
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