Tara Zier | Stiff Person Syndrome | InVisible InCourage Show | Invisible Disabilities Association

Join host Jess Stainbrook as he speaks with Dr. Tara Zier, the founder and president of The Stiff Person Syndrome Research Foundation , which she established in 2019 to raise awareness and funds for better treatments and a cure. Zier has built relationships with teams at the Stiff Person Syndrome Center at Johns Hopkins Medicine, the Mayo Clinic, and with patients around the world. In 2021, The SPSRF was selected to receive a three-year “Rare As One” grant from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative. Zier and The SPSRF have been featured in The Washington Post, Voice of America, ABC News in Washington, and various media outlets worldwide. In 2017, Zier was forced to leave a twenty-year career in dentistry and stop the practice of karate (3rd degree black belt), due to Stiff Person Syndrome. She co-founded Smiles dental practice in Fairfax, Virginia and later joined a practice in Alexandria, Virginia. Zier is a graduate of the VCU School of Dentistry and Virginia Tech. Zier has two children, Kenna and Cameron.

Learn more at https://stiffperson.org

WHAT IS STIFF PERSON SYNDROME?

Stiff Person Syndrome (SPS) is a neurological disease with autoimmune features. Symptoms include muscle spasms, hyper-rigidity, debilitating pain, and chronic anxiety. Muscle spasms can be so violent they can dislocate joints and break bones. SPS is labeled as a rare disease, with one to two in a million people affected. But these numbers are likely higher due to misdiagnosis. It takes, on average, seven years to identify SPS. It is often mistaken as Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson’s, Fibromyalgia, Psychosomatic illness, Anxiety, Phobia, and other autoimmune diseases. Patients can be disabled, wheelchair-bound, or bed-ridden, unable to work and care for themselves. The typical patient is a middle-aged female, but men and children can suffer from SPS as well.

Celine Dion revealed she has been diagnosed with SPS. #celinedion

Episode 16 - InVisible InCourage SHOW - https://InVisibleInCourage.SHOW

Together we can make a difference in your community and around the globe!

The IDA Team
Invisible Disabilities Association
https://InvisibleDisabilities.org
http://NationalDisability.ID
http://InvisibleDisabilitiesCommunity...
http://InvisibleDisabilitiesWeek.org

ABOUT THE INVISIBLE DISABILITIES ASSOCIATION:

IDA's mission is to encourage, educate and connect people and organizations touched by illness, pain and disability around the globe.

We bring awareness, education, resources and support through our websites, programs, videos, pamphlets, books, videos, radio and television interviews, events, online support, social media, Meetups and resources! Here are some of the awesome programs we launched: The National ID Initiative, Invisible Disabilities Week, Invisible Disabilities Community, Invisible No More Campaign, Invisible No More Show, InVisible InCourage LIVE Show, the Annual IDA Awards Galas, Love IDEAS Summit, Brain IDEAS Symposiums, Invisible Heroes, Programs 4 People, Cleaner Indoor Air Campaign and more!

We have also produced over 200 YouTube videos featuring personal stories, organizations, special guest speakers, conferences and events! Additionally, we love to honor individuals and organizations making a difference with the Annual IDA Awards, as well as highlight stories, endeavors, blogs and events of people living with invisible disabilities around the world!

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