Annabelle H.
Annabelle was diagnosed in 2008 at age ten with Vanishing White Matter Disease (VWM), a type of Leukodystrophy that affects a small number of children each year. Prior to the onset of this genetically based disease, Annie was fully functional and loved hiking and skiing with her family, and playing soccer with her friends. The resulting damage to her central nervous system has left Annie unable to walk, and with limited use of her hands. Despite these setbacks, Annie has remained amazingly positive. She loves attending school with her friends, and enjoys playing and exercising in the swimming pool as often as she can. While there is currently no way of treating VWM, Annie and her family are hopeful that recent advances in genetic research will lead to a treatment of VWM that will help Annabelle and other children with this progressively debilitating disease.




















