or


[02/09/09 - 02:19 PM]
National Organization for Rare Disorders to Partner with Discovery Health and "Mystery Diagnosis" for Rare Disease Day 2009
Rare Disease Day is "an event designed to call attention to the public health issues associated with rare diseases affecting nearly 30 million Americans and countless others worldwide."

[via press release from Discovery Health]

National Organization for Rare Disorders to Partner with Discovery Health and "MYSTERY DIAGNOSIS" for Rare Disease Day 2009

-- NORD Names Discovery Health Media Partner and MYSTERY DIAGNOSIS Program Partner for First Rare Disease Day in U.S. on February 28, 2009 --

February 9, 2009

(Danbury, Ct.) The National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) announced that Discovery Health and its popular series, MYSTERY DIAGNOSIS, will serve as media and program partners for Rare Disease Day on February 28, 2009. This year represents the first U.S. observance of Rare Disease Day, an event designed to call attention to the public health issues associated with rare diseases affecting nearly 30 million Americans and countless others worldwide. NORD and its 145 partner organizations serve as advocates for these patients by helping heighten awareness of their conditions and the need for increased research funding for effective treatments. Information on Rare Disease Day will also be featured on Discovery Health and online on DiscoveryHealth.com.

Discovery Health's award-winning MYSTERY DIAGNOSIS chronicles the experiences of patients who suffer from conditions outside of the medical mainstream. Often the diseases profiled on MYSTERY DIAGNOSIS are the rare or "orphan" conditions represented by NORD. Each episode features patients who are initially misdiagnosed or undiagnosed altogether due to the uncommon nature of their symptoms and general lack of awareness regarding their conditions.

Ashley Kurpiel of Atlanta has been selected to serve as a patient spokesperson for Rare Disease Day. Featured on the episode of MYSTERY DIAGNOSIS premiering March 2 at 10PM ET/PT, Ashley had her arm erroneously amputated due to a doctor's misdiagnosis of her rare disease during her childhood. At the age of 3, Ashley was finally diagnosed with Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva (FOP,) one of the most disabling conditions known to medicine-and through NORD, Ashley's family connected with one of the world's leading experts on FOP who has helped the family understand and cope with her condition. Although she was not expected to live past age 10, Ashley is currently 26 years old and leads a very active life despite the crippling disease.

"Far too often, individuals with rare diseases are left to fight for themselves while suffering through multiple misdiagnoses or a lack of effective treatments," stated Carole Tomko, President and General Manager of Discovery Health. "Discovery Health is proud to join NORD in its efforts to generate awareness of these orphan conditions and raise the quality of life for the patients affected by them."

This year represents the second Rare Disease Day worldwide, with the U.S., Canada, Australia, and China joining the nations of the European Union in observing the event in 2009. Overall, approximately 180 patient organizations, medical societies, companies developing orphan products, and others, have joined NORD as Rare Disease Day partners. For more information, visit NORD's Web site at rarediseases.org.

About NORD

Established in 1983, NORD is a nonprofit organization which represents the interests of all patients and families whose lives have been impacted by rare diseases. A rare disease is defined as one that affects fewer than 200,000 people in the United States. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), there are nearly 7,000 such diseases, affecting nearly 30 million Americans. NORD provides research grants and fellowships, educational services for patients, the public and medical professionals, and patient assistance programs. NORD provides advocacy in Washington DC on behalf of the rare disease community.

About Mystery Diagnosis

MYSTERY DIAGNOSIS is produced for Discovery Health by True Entertainment. For Discovery Health, Alon Orstein is executive producer and for True Entertainment, Steven Weinstock, Glenda Hersh and Stephanya J. Miller are executive producers.

About Discovery Health

Discovery Health Media includes the Discovery Health and FitTV television networks and online assets including www.discoveryhealth.com, as well as its Continuing Medical Education (CME) business and Discovery's first stand-alone VOD service, Discovery Health On-Call. Discovery Health Media is part of Discovery Communications (Nasdaq: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK), the world's number one nonfiction media company reaching more than 1.5 billion cumulative subscribers in over 170 countries. Discovery empowers people to explore their world and satisfy their curiosity through 100-plus worldwide networks, led by Discovery Channel, TLC, Animal Planet, Science Channel, Planet Green, Investigation Discovery and HD Theater, as well as leading consumer and educational products and services, and a diversified portfolio of digital media services including HowStuffWorks.com. For more information, please visit www.discoverycommunications.com.





  [february 2009]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S


· MYSTERY DIAGNOSIS (OWN)





[10/03/25 - 02:17 PM]
ESPN's Record-Setting '25 MLB Wild Card Series
Across eight games, the MLB Wild Card Series is averaging 4.4 million viewers, up 65% from last year.

[10/03/25 - 12:37 PM]
BET+ Sets October 23 Premiere for "Carl Weber's The Family Business" Season 6
The 10-episode season will premiere with two episodes, followed by one episode weekly, with the finale on Thursday, December 18.

[10/03/25 - 12:07 PM]
"Dancing with the Stars" Continues to Shatter Records - Growing Two Weeks in a Row Since Season Premiere for First Time Since 2005
Plus: "High Potential" hit a season high in Total Viewers (4.24 million), growing by double digits over the show's comparable third episode from last fall.

[10/03/25 - 10:57 AM]
Legends, Champions and Icons of October Highlight FOX Sports' Postseason Broadcaster Lineup
FOX Sports begins its Postseason coverage Saturday, October 4 at 4:00 PM ET on FOX, FOX Deportes, the FOX Sports App and FOX One as the New York Yankees face the Toronto Blue Jays.

[10/03/25 - 10:05 AM]
All-New Season of "Gold Rush" Returns with High-Stake Risks and Land Fury on Friday, November 7 at 8PM ET/PT on Discovery
With only a few short months to mine, top bosses and rising underdogs collide in a race to claim new ground, move more dirt, and strike it rich.

[10/03/25 - 09:12 AM]
FOX Nation Secures Exclusive U.S. Rights to Docuseries "Elizabeth Taylor: Rebel Superstar"
The acclaimed series will make its anticipated U.S. debut on FOX Nation on Monday, October 6.

[10/03/25 - 08:02 AM]
TNT Sports to Be Exclusive Home of 2025 NLDS & NLCS
Both best-of-five NLDS series begin Saturday, October 4.

[10/03/25 - 08:01 AM]
TNT Sports Sets BIG EAST Men's College Basketball Schedule for Inaugural 2025-26 Season
TNT Sports' regular season BIG EAST men's basketball schedule will feature 40 appearances by St. John's, UConn, Creighton, Xavier, and Marquette, programs that each clinched berths in last season's NCAA Men's Tournament.

[10/03/25 - 07:01 AM]
Video: "27 Nights" - Official Trailer - Netflix
When a woman is admitted by her daughters to a psychiatric clinic for her carefree ways, an expert must judge if she is ill or simply wants to enjoy life.

[10/03/25 - 04:01 AM]
Video: "Steve" - Official Trailer #2 - Netflix
Over one intense day, the devoted head teacher of a last-chance reform school strives to keep his students in line while facing pressures of his own.

[10/03/25 - 03:02 AM]
Miguel Herran Will Play Poli Diaz in "El Porto the Vallecas," the New Film by Daniel Calparsoro for Netflix
Inspired by true events, the film follows the life of Policarpo "Poli" Díaz (Miguel Herrán), a young man from Vallecas who, despite a childhood marked by poverty and family violence, became a boxing legend in 1980s Spain, even fighting for the world lightweight title.

[10/03/25 - 03:01 AM]
Netflix Honors Jane Goodall with Posthumous Release of "Famous Last Words" Docuseries Following Her Passing
The series showcases reflective interviews with some of the world's most influential cultural figures, who agreed to sit down and discuss their legacy, and give their final words, with the understanding that it would only be shared with the world after they passed.

[10/02/25 - 04:09 PM]
ESPN Delivers the Most-Watched WNBA Semifinals Ever
Game 5 between the Indiana Fever and the Las Vegas Aces averaged 1.8 million viewers, peaking at 2.1 million.

[10/02/25 - 03:01 PM]
Video: "Twisted Wonderland" - Trailer - Disney+
Your favorite villains reimagined in ways you've never dared to dream.

[10/02/25 - 02:51 PM]
ESPN's Record-Setting Day One of MLB Wild Card Series
Coverage of Red Sox versus Yankees averaged 6.5 million viewers, peaking at 9.9 million.