Zach and older sister Ashley
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Zachary Couture is a 10 year old, fourth-grader at Griffin Memorial School in Litchfield, NH. In September of 2005, he was just your average child, involved in school and playing fall baseball. However, by November 1st, Zachary's world had changed dramatically.
By late October, Zachary's family began noticing changes in his attitude and behavior. Then, they noticed that he seemed to be having trouble hearing. On Monday, October 31, Zach was taken for a hearing test. The hearing test showed acute hearing loss, despite the fact that his ears seemed to be functioning properly. A more specialized test the following day confirmed the results. On Wednesday, November 2 Zach underwent a CAT scan which showed problems in his brain. On Thursday, November 3 Zachary was sent for an MRI which resulted in the preliminary diagnosis of adrenoleukodystrophy.
Within a week, Zach's diagnosis was confirmed by a blood test. Since the date of diagnosis, Zachary's condition has rapidly deteriorated. His hearing is almost completely gone, his walking has deteriorated to a point where he is required to be in a wheelchair during school, and his fine motor skills and speech have also been affected.
Despite the rapid progression of his disorder, Zach has remained in great spirits. He is a happy, smiley boy who loves to joke around and be silly. He has never once complained of his situation, only remarking once to his dad that he thinks he might be jinxed. It is his incredible attitude and amazing spirit that is helping his family endure the tough times.
However, adrenoluekodystrophy is essentially a fight against time. A bone marrow or umbilical cord blood transplant is the only way to save Zachary's life and it needs to happen as soon as possible.
Please check the updates page for the latest news on Zach.
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