The Voices of Thyroid Disease
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Although many people haven’t heard of thyroid conditions like Graves’ disease or Hashimoto’s syndrome, thyroid problems are finally getting more attention.
The thyroid is a tiny gland in the neck that can sometimes make too much or too little of various hormones, causing a host of problems. President George Bush and his wife, Barbara, were both told they had thyroid conditions. In 2007, thyroid problems received the ultimate celebrity endorsement when Oprah Winfrey announced she was suffering from thyroid-related health issues.
In Wednesday’s Patient Voices feature, Karen Barrow, a New York Times producer, shares the stories of six men and women with thyroid disease. You’ll hear from Antonio Richardson, 25, of St. Paul, Minn., who was told he had Graves’ disease, which is rarely found in young men. He channeled his fears into music and now writes rap songs under the name A&R about living with chronic illness.
You’ll also meet a lawyer, Jennifer Metzger, 38, of Montclair, N.J., who developed complications from a thyroid condition during pregnancy. She now urges people with thyroid conditions to gather as much information as they can about the disease.
“It’s this very small organ in your body,” she said, “And it controls so much.”
To hear all the voices of thyroid disease, click on the Patient Voices: Thyroid Disease page.
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By TARA PARKER-POPE
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