The Town Where Cousin Marriages Changed Lives
In the tiny Brazilian town of Serrinha dos Pintos, lots of people are kind and didn't understand why certain children couldn't walk. More than 20 years ago, scientist Silvana Santos found that they had an unusual disease named Spoan syndrome. It gets the body progressively weaker and occurs when both parents inherit the same defective gene (a gene is similar to an instruction on how the body should work, and a defective one can lead to disease).
Since most people in the town get married to their cousins, there is a greater risk of the disease. Santos discovered that the gene probably originated from European colonizers centuries ago. Her work informed families about the illness and received assistance such as wheelchairs and medical care.
There remains no cure, yet life has become better for many. Santos currently works on a project identifying couples so they may learn about their risks before they have children and remains close to the community she served.
