SICK You Memake SICK MeYou

According to the National Institutes of Health, there are more than 7,000 listed rare diseases in the United States. Add to this list the ones yet to be discovered or reported and our world can suddenly begin to look like a very scary place.

Although our bodies are amazingly resilient, they are subjected to a constant barrage of bacteria, viruses and toxins, and many of us are born with genetic predispositions to certain illnesses.

Some diseases are quite well-known and many research dollars are spent searching for cures, but what about those rare and elusive ailments that not only defy treatment or a cure but even diagnosis? After all, how can your physician diagnose a disease he or she has never even heard of?