Medical Stories - Congenital Athymia: Charlie's Story

Congenital athymia is a rare condition in which a child is born without a thymus, which produces cells needed to fight infection. The Immune Deficiency Foundation states most children with the condition die by age 2 or 3 with only supportive care.

Just days after Katie and JD had their son, Charlie, they were forced to bring him back to a hospital after test results showed he had no immune system. Not long after, he was diagnosed with congenital athymia, and his parents feared his time was limited.

In San Diego, California, Katie and JD recount how Charlie not only overcame his disease but also the ordeal of being isolated from the world for over four years.

This episode also features in-depth commentary from renowned expert Cathleen Collins, MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Pediatrics at Rady Children's Hospital and UCSD.

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