A Tale of Two Sisters
Mallory Cyr
Mallory and Maisy Cyr are two sisters from the small town of Sabattus, Maine. Since they have both been on HPN the majority of their lives; their stories and accomplishments are anything but small.
Rare Disease Leads to HPN
Mallory is the eldest of the two girls and just recently turned 21. This is miraculous because when she was an infant, doctors did not expect her to live past the age of two. Mallory was diagnosed with a very rare digestive disorder. It is called microvillous inclusion disease; which means that the microvilli are ingrown and the step of absorption in digestion is omitted. Because of this, Mallory had a central line placed and has been on HPN for twenty years of her life.
It took a little over a year for Mallory to be diagnosed because the only symptoms are diarrhea and vomiting. Because of the rarity of this disease, treatment when Mallory was a child was still quite experimental. She was deprived of certain essential nutrients and only grew to a height of 3’9”.
Mallory graduated from the University of Maine at Farmington in 2007 with a degree in creative writing. She was involved in almost every extra curricular activity available through her years at school; not to mention her very active social life. Mallory is a firm believer in living the “no day but today” life; that when living with a chronic illness of any kind, it is important to never take anything for granted and to live every day to the fullest. Mallory works full time doing advocacy work for youth with special health care needs and increasing youth involvement and leadership. She also serves as a co-chair on the board of KASA (Kids as Self Advocates www.fvkasa.org ) . In her free time, she is working on her autobiographical memoir or updating her online blog!
Check out her website to see the latest of Mal’s on goings: www.mallorycyr.com
Walking in Familiar Footsteps
Maisy is in high school and could not be closer to being a perfect, beautiful, active adolescent — except for the fact that she is on HPN and has been since she was about two years old. Maisy’s MID onset was later than Mallory’s and less of a problem because the doctors knew what they were looking for. They were also much more advanced when they began the HPN. Because of Anna’s watchful eye (Mal and Maisy’s mother), Maisy got all of her nutrients from day one and she is of average height.
Maisy is also a performer and loves dancing, singing and acting on stage; all of which she excels at doing. She is an excellent student and spends her weekends going to the movies and dances with her friends, but her true passion is at the farm. Maisy spends the majority of her free time at a horse farm, riding her horse Rosie, working and doing anything that needs to be done. She has participated in many horse shows and taken home many blue ribbons; even competing in some classes which were all adults.
The Cyr girls undoubtedly have had their fair share of challenges; but between their endless determination, love of life and amazing support from their parents, Anna and Mike, it is no doubt that they have become, and will continue to be, successful, ambitious young ladies. In such a wonderful, busy world, with so much to offer, HPN is merely an essential accessory!