Shandra_NP0 Trantham_NP0 was_VBD just_AV0 9_CRD years_NN2 old_AJ0 when_CJS she_PNP first_ORD knew_VVD something_PNI was_VBD wrong_AJ0 ._SENT She_PNP remembers_VVZ arriving_VVG at_PRP gymnastics_NN1 camp_NN1 one_CRD morning_NN1 and_CJC realizing_VVG she_PNP could_VM0 no_VVI longer_AJC walk_NN1 across_PRP the_AT0 balance_NN1 beam_NN1 ._SENT Her_DPS parents_NN2 initially_AV0 thought_VVD she_PNP was_VBD just_AV0 clumsy_AJ0 ,_PUN but_CJC soon_AV0 Shandra_NP0 was_VBD unable_AJ0 to_TO0 run_VVI a_AT0 mile_NN1 in_PRP P.E._NP0 class_NN1 ._SENT By_PRP the_AT0 time_NN1 she_PNP started_VVD middle_AJ0 school_NN1 ,_PUN she_PNP 'd_VHD developed_VVN scoliosis_NN1 (_PUL a_AT0 curvature_NN1 of_PRF the_AT0 spine_NN1 )_PUR and_CJC was_VBD struggling_VVG to_TO0 walk_VVI a_AT0 straight_AJ0 line_NN1 ._SENT "_PUQ It_PNP just_AV0 got_VVD worse_AJC from_PRP there_AV0 ,_PUN "_PUQ she_PNP says_VVZ ._SENT At_PRP age_NN1 12_CRD ,_PUN she_PNP was_VBD diagnosed_VVN with_PRP Friedreich_NP0 's_POS Ataxia_NN1 (_PUL FA_NP0 )_PUR ,_PUN a_AT0 debilitating_AJ0 –_PUN often_AV0 fatal_AJ0 –_PUN neurodegenerative_AJ0 disease_NN1 that_CJT attacks_VVZ the_AT0 nervous_AJ0 system_NN1 ,_PUN causing_VVG muscle_NN1 weakness_NN1 and_CJC loss_NN1 of_PRF coordination_NN1 ._SENT Ultimately_AV0 it_PNP can_VM0 rob_VVI patients_NN2 of_PRF the_AT0 ability_NN1 to_TO0 walk_VVI and_CJC talk_VVI ,_PUN before_CJS eventually_AV0 attacking_VVG the_AT0 heart_NN1 ._SENT 
Devastated_VVN by_PRP the_AT0 diagnosis_NN1 –_PUN and_CJC worried_VVD how_AVQ Shandra_NP0 would_VM0 take_VVI the_AT0 news_NN1 –_PUN her_DPS parents_NN2 ,_PUN Linda_NP0 and_CJC James_NP0 Trantham_NP0 ,_PUN decided_VVD not_XX0 to_TO0 tell_VVI her_DPS right_NN1 away_AV0 ._SENT "_PUQ It_PNP was_VBD just_AV0 so_AV0 shocking_AJ0 ,_PUN "_PUQ says_VVZ Linda_NP0 ,_PUN 65._CRD "_PUQ I_PNP did_VDD n't_XX0 want_VVI her_PNP to_TO0 come_VVI crashing_VVG down_AVP like_PRP that_DT0 ._SENT "_PUQ 
But_CJC Shandra_NP0 had_VHD already_AV0 figured_VVN it_PNP out_AVP on_PRP her_DPS own_DT0 ._SENT "_PUQ I_PNP was_VBD a_AT0 pretty_AJ0 smart_AJ0 child_NN1 ,_PUN "_PUQ says_VVZ the_AT0 24-year-old_AJ0 Gainesville_NP0 ,_PUN Fla._NP0 ,_PUN resident_NN1 ._SENT "_PUQ I_PNP looked_VVD extensively_AV0 on_PRP the_AT0 Internet_NN1 about_PRP my_DPS symptoms_NN2 ,_PUN and_CJC when_CJS I_PNP was_VBD 13_CRD ,_PUN I_PNP figured_VVD out_AVP that_CJT I_PNP had_VHD FA_NP0 ._SENT I_PNP remember_VVB being_VBG at_PRP the_AT0 doctor_NN1 's_VBZ ,_PUN and_CJC I_PNP saw_VVD the_AT0 name_NN1 on_PRP my_DPS chart_NN1 ,_PUN so_CJS I_PNP knew_VVD I_PNP was_VBD right_AJ0 ._SENT "_PUQ 
She_PNP 's_VHZ been_VBN on_PRP a_AT0 mission_NN1 ever_AV0 since_CJS to_TO0 find_VVI a_AT0 treatment_NN1 for_PRP FA_NP0 –_PUN which_DTQ affects_VVZ 150_CRD ,_PUN 000_CRD people_NN0 in_PRP the_AT0 U.S._NP0 and_CJC is_VBZ caused_VVN by_PRP a_AT0 genetic_AJ0 mutation_NN1 inherited_VVN from_PRP both_DT0 parents_NN2 ._SENT "_PUQ Patients_NN2 with_PRP FA_NP0 ,_PUN especially_AV0 when_CJS they_PNP have_VHB childhood_NN1 onset_NN1 ,_PUN have_VHB progression_NN1 over_PRP time_NN1 ,_PUN "_PUQ says_VVZ Dr._NP0 Barry_NP0 Byrne_NP0 ,_PUN director_NN1 of_PRF the_AT0 Powell_NP0 Gene_NP0 Therapy_NN1 Center_NN1 at_PRP the_AT0 University_NN1 of_PRF Florida_NP0 ,_PUN who_PNQ first_ORD met_VVD Shandra_NP0 in_PRP 2017_CRD when_AVQ she_PNP was_VBD a_AT0 participant_NN1 in_PRP a_AT0 research_NN1 study_NN1 on_PRP the_AT0 disease_NN1 ._SENT Now_AV0 a_AT0 Ph.D._NP0 candidate_NN1 at_PRP UF_NP0 ,_PUN Shandra_NP0 works_VVZ under_PRP Byrne_NP0 conducting_VVG gene_NN1 therapy_NN1 research_NN1 ,_PUN with_PRP the_AT0 goal_NN1 of_PRF ultimately_AV0 developing_VVG a_AT0 genetic_AJ0 treatment_NN1 for_PRP FA_NP0 that_CJT will_VM0 stop_VVI the_AT0 disease_NN1 's_POS progression_NN1 ._SENT "_PUQ I_PNP knew_VVD that_CJT if_CJS I_PNP really_AV0 wanted_VVD to_TO0 help_VVI people_NN0 with_PRP my_DPS disease_NN1 and_CJC other_AJ0 incurable_AJ0 diseases_NN2 ,_PUN I_PNP had_VHD to_TO0 go_VVI into_PRP research_NN1 and_CJC focus_NN1 on_PRP solving_VVG the_AT0 problem_NN1 ,_PUN "_PUQ she_PNP says_VVZ ._SENT Adds_VVZ Byrne_NP0 :_PUN "_PUQ Having_VHG Shandra_NP0 right_AV0 there_AV0 in_PRP the_AT0 middle_NN1 of_PRF the_AT0 lab_NN1 is_VBZ a_AT0 constant_AJ0 reminder_NN1 to_PRP everyone_PNI of_PRF why_AVQ we_PNP need_VVB to_TO0 work_VVI with_PRP urgency_NN1 ._SENT "_PUQ 
Growing_VVG up_AVP in_PRP Jupiter_NP0 ,_PUN Fla._NP0 ,_PUN Shandra_NP0 kept_VVD her_DPS FA_NP0 a_AT0 secret_NN1 from_PRP friends_NN2 ._SENT "_PUQ I_PNP would_VM0 avoid_VVI situations_NN2 where_AVQ it_PNP was_VBD obvious_AJ0 that_CJT I_PNP had_VHD something_PNI wrong_AJ0 with_PRP me_PNP ,_PUN "_PUQ she_PNP says_VVZ ._SENT "_PUQ I_PNP never_AV0 went_VVD on_PRP school_NN1 trips_NN2 to_PRP theme_NN1 parks_NN2 because_CJS that_DT0 involves_VVZ a_AT0 lot_NN1 of_PRF walking_NN1 ..._PUN My_DPS friends_NN2 just_AV0 assumed_VVD I_PNP was_VBD a_AT0 really_AV0 clumsy_AJ0 person_NN1 ._SENT I_PNP would_VM0 fall_VVI a_AT0 lot_NN1 ._SENT I_PNP had_VHD a_AT0 lot_NN1 of_PRF injuries_NN2 ._SENT I_PNP always_AV0 had_VHD some_DT0 kind_NN1 of_PRF brace_NN1 on_AVP ._SENT "_PUQ When_CJS she_PNP was_VBD 16_CRD ,_PUN her_DPS mother_NN1 finally_AV0 opened_VVD up_AVP to_PRP her_DPS daughter_NN1 about_PRP her_DPS diagnosis_NN1 ._SENT "_PUQ Until_CJS then_AV0 ,_PUN we_PNP did_VDD n't_XX0 talk_VVI about_PRP it_PNP at_PRP all_DT0 ,_PUN "_PUQ says_VVZ Shandra_NP0 ._SENT "_PUQ When_CJS my_DPS mom_NN1 finally_AV0 came_VVD to_PRP me_PNP ,_PUN I_PNP was_VBD like_PRP ,_PUN '_PUQ I_PNP already_AV0 know_VVB ._SENT '_PUQ "_PUQ But_CJC Linda_NP0 credits_VVZ her_DPS daughter_NN1 with_PRP taking_VVG hold_NN1 of_PRF her_DPS situation_NN1 and_CJC ultimately_AV0 finding_VVG her_DPS purpose_NN1 ._SENT "_PUQ I_PNP somewhat_AV0 regret_VVB [_PUL not_XX0 telling_VVG her_DPS right_NN1 away_AV0 ]_PUR ,_PUN but_CJC in_PRP some_DT0 ways_NN2 I_PNP think_VVB it_PNP made_VVD her_PNP a_AT0 stronger_AJC person_NN1 ,_PUN actually_AV0 finding_VVG out_AVP herself_PNX ,_PUN "_PUQ she_PNP says_VVZ ._SENT "_PUQ When_CJS we_PNP got_VVD that_DT0 diagnosis_NN1 ,_PUN it_PNP was_VBD like_PRP a_AT0 death_NN1 knell_NN1 almost_AV0 ._SENT Now_AV0 it_PNP 's_VHZ been_VBN totally_AV0 different_AJ0 ._SENT And_CJC a_AT0 lot_NN1 of_PRF that_DT0 's_VBZ due_AJ0 to_PRP Shandra_NP0 and_CJC her_DPS personality_NN1 and_CJC how_AVQ she_PNP 's_VBZ dealt_VVN with_PRP it_PNP ._SENT "_PUQ 
By_PRP the_AT0 time_NN1 Shandra_NP0 was_VBD a_AT0 freshman_NN1 at_PRP the_AT0 University_NN1 of_PRF South_NP0 Florida_NP0 ,_PUN she_PNP knew_VVD she_PNP wanted_VVD to_TO0 "_PUQ learn_VVI everything_PNI I_PNP could_VM0 about_PRP my_DPS disease_NN1 ._SENT "_PUQ She_PNP majored_VVD in_PRP cellular_AJ0 and_CJC molecular_AJ0 biology_NN1 ,_PUN completed_VVD her_DPS four-year_AJ0 B.S._NP0 degree_NN1 in_PRP just_AV0 three_CRD years_NN2 and_CJC applied_VVD to_TO0 participate_VVI in_PRP FA_NP0 research_NN1 programs_NN2 whenever_AVQ she_PNP could_VM0 ._SENT "_PUQ I_PNP 'm_VBB on_PRP the_AT0 clock_NN1 with_PRP my_DPS disease_NN1 ,_PUN so_CJS I_PNP knew_VVD I_PNP wanted_VVD to_TO0 get_VVI everything_PNI done_VDN while_CJS I_PNP was_VBD still_AV0 capable_AJ0 ,_PUN "_PUQ she_PNP says_VVZ ._SENT 
