5-Year-Old Thrives Despite Rare Metabolic Disease

(NBC NEWS) A Colorado family says they’re grateful their daughter with a rare metabolic disease is attending Kindergarten.

That wasn’t always a possibility for five-year-old Maren Stecken, who was diagnose with Propionic Acidemia when she was just two weeks old.

Maren’s mom, Honey Stecken, says only one out every 100,000 babies are born with that condition, which doesn’t allow her body to break down certain proteins. The rare condition could even make Maren’s organs shut down.

Under a strict diet, Maren can now attend school due in large part to a prescription that stabilizes her bodily functions.

“It’s kind of like wow, I can see. I can picture my kid. She’s going to go to school and you’re very excited, but then there’s this,” said Stecken.

The medicine causes a chemical reaction in Maren’s body, leaving her with a very serious problem.

“My little girl is walking around smelling so bad that people do not want to be around her,” said Stecken.

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