Short Wave

Science Couldn't Save Her, So She Became A Scientist

Nov 18, 2022

Sonia Vallabh, a dedicated scientist, shares her profound journey after losing her mother to a hereditary prion disease. She and her husband Eric recount the painful diagnosis process and the emotional weight of looming genetic risks. They discuss the transformative decision to shift from grief to scientific pursuit, aiming to prevent others from suffering similar losses. Their commitment fuels their research, showcasing resilience and the power of love even in the face of heartbreaking adversity.

14:00

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Sonia Vallabh

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Episode notes

Intro

3min

A Journey Through Diagnosis and Heartbreak

5min

Facing Genetic Inheritance Amidst Grief

3min

From Grief to Scientific Endeavor: A Journey into Prion Research

5min

The first time Sonia Vallabh understood something was very wrong with her mother Kamni was on the phone on her mom's 52nd birthday. She wasn't herself. By the end of that year, after about six months on life support, Kamni had died.

The disease she died from would upend Sonia and her husband Eric's lives, and send them on a careening journey toward a completely new calling: to prevent or cure the disease that's stalking Sonia's family." Sonia Vallabh and Eric Minikel join Short Wave to tell their story in this second of three episodes on prion disease.

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