Lucy Parke Little Irish girl with progeria Country: Ireland

Biography of Lucy Park

Lucy Park was a little Irish girl with progeria, a rare genetic disorder also known as Hutchinson-Gilford syndrome. Despite her frail body, Lucy was strong in spirit. Unfortunately, she aged eight times faster than her peers, and at the age of eight, she left this world. Her devastated father carried her crushed coffin, adorned with a rainbow, to her final resting place.

Lucy Park, who suffered from progeria, passed away at her home in Ballyward, Co Down, surrounded by her family. Her parents, Stephanie and David, requested that instead of spending money on funeral flowers, sympathizers make donations to the Northern Ireland Children's Hospice and other local organizations that helped brighten Lucy's short life. At her funeral, her parents stated, "We have lost our precious Lucy. She was weak in body but strong in spirit. We were proud to be the parents of a girl who loved life and shared her beautiful smile."

Progeria was diagnosed in Lucy immediately after her birth. This condition affects only one person out of four million. Symptoms include hair loss and slowed growth. The average life expectancy for those affected is 13-14 years.

Lucy, a little girl locked in an old woman's body, inspired and encouraged many people. Numerous articles were published about Lucy, touching the depths of people's souls. Katherine Campbell, who interviewed Lucy's mother, Stephanie, also the author of the book "When We Can't, God Can," said, "Lucy's life inspired and encouraged many people. She was beautiful in every way but fell victim to progeria, prematurely aging her body. Lucy bravely fought the consequences of the disease, which did not spare her tiny frame over the past eight years. Now Lucy is free from pain and limitations. Yet, please pray for her beautiful family, devastated by grief. I am so grateful to God for helping me meet this amazing little girl along my journey. Today, I particularly feel the pain of Stephanie and David."

Progeria is an extremely rare progressive genetic disorder that causes children to age rapidly, typically starting from the first two years of life. From ancient Greek, "progeria" translates to "prematurely old" (literally "super old"). Children with progeria usually show no abnormalities at birth, but symptoms such as slow growth and hair loss begin to manifest within the first year.

Heart problems and strokes are the most common causes of death among children with Hutchinson-Gilford syndrome. Some do not survive beyond the ages of 13-14, while others manage to surpass the age of 20. If a year is considered as seven or eight, then "long-livers" with progeria die in bodies worn out at around 150 years of age.

The condition is incurable, but the Progeria Research Foundation has identified that a new drug called lonafarnib, initially developed for fighting cancer, increases the likelihood of children with progeria living into late teenage years. Lonafarnib reduces blood vessel damage and blocks the accumulation of a protein responsible for the damage. Dr. Fuki Hisama, a geneticist at the University of Washington, is confident that lonafarnib will eventually be used as a standard treatment for progeria, although it will not eradicate the disease.