The Quinnipiac women’s basketball team and third year medical student Nicole McAmis helped raise awareness for Rett Syndrome on Saturday during the Bobcats’ game against Fairfield.
“Nobody really knows about Rett Syndrome,” said McAmis who attends the Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine at Quinnipiac University. “Surprisingly medical school doesn’t teach much about Rett Syndrome either so I figured we need to raise awareness not only in the medical world but in general.”
Rett Syndrome is a rare, non-inherited genetic postnatal neurological disorder that occurs primarily in girls.
“Some of the common characteristics of Rett Syndrome include hand wringing, breath holding, some of the girls don’t walk, require feeding tubes, breathing abnormalities, it can be pretty intense,” said Ariane McMahan who’s daughter Keilly has Rett Syndrome.
McAmis, who did research with girls who have Rett Syndrome during her undergraduate years at the Washington University in St. Louis, invited the McMahan family to attend Saturday’s Rett Syndrome Awareness game.
“It’s a fantastic opportunity to come and be a part of this particular awareness event,” said McMahan. “We lived in Connecticut for 14 years so it warms my heart that we’re doing this at Quinnipiac again. The more awareness we can raise the better.”
