FOP Gene Has Been Found!
April 23, 2006


Bill (’72), Hillary, William (Form III), and Whitney Weldon (Form I) and Isabel, Stephen Jr. (Form IV), Eileen (Form III), and Mackenzie Roach (Form I) are thrilled to announce to the Pingry community one of the biggest—if not biggest—musculoskeletal discoveries in our century!

The Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva (FOP) gene has been found by researchers at The University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. And now the journey of a cure begins!

As you may know, Whitney Weldon (Form I) was diagnosed with FOP on April 3, 2001. The Pingry community support has been a huge factor on our mission to find the cure to this cruel and devastating condition. The discovery of the FOP gene not the cure but it is one of the largest pieces of the puzzle.

The FOP gene (FOP=ACVR1c.617>A; R206H) is one of 6 billion genes made up in each of us and has the potential to help all people who suffer from various bone ailments.

We thank you for your prayers, love, emotional support, and friendships. We thank the students who gave up birthday presents, volunteered their time, t-shirt sales, powder puff game, dress down days, walk in the park, and more. And cheers to the parents who have the most kindhearted children. Thank you to the Pingry faculty and staff who continue each day to let Whitney be Whitney.

We thank you for raising over $65,000 to the following genetic research fellowships: Weldon FOP Research Fund, and the Stephen L. Roach – Whitney Weldon Fellowships at the University of Pennsylvania.

The Weldon and Roach families cannot express enough how much gratitude we feel and that together we can experience this discovery—now—in this lifetime. Thank you for making a difference.

For more information about FOP, please visit the International FOP Associate Web site at www.ifopa.org.