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Story perspectives

Rare Refsum Disease: 51-Year Struggle for Diagnosis

9/11/2025

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Story summary
  • Sharon Burstin lived with Refsum disease for 51 years before her diagnosis and seeks to raise awareness among general practitioners.
  • Refsum disease affects approximately one in a million people in the UK.
  • A study of 23 patients showed an average 11-year delay in diagnosis, all presenting with retinitis pigmentosa (RP).
  • RP, affecting one in 4,000 globally, is an inherited eye disorder causing various vision loss types.
  • Greater awareness of rare disorders like Refsum could enhance diagnosis rates and improve patient quality of life.