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Texas man shows support for Alpha wife by running in Houston Marathon this Sunday
HOUSTON, TX — In 2008, Jennifer Trahan went into a hospital for a routine surgical procedure when she found out she had a spot on her lung. After many dreadful tests and a terrifying misdiagnosis of possible cancer, she decided to consult a new doctor.
Her new pulmonologist not only provided answers, but a diagnosis that she never expected. She had emphysema, he told her. Then he tested her for Alpha-1, and sure enough, she’s an Alpha.
John Larsen, Jennifer’s biological father, also suffered from lung disease and was diagnosed with Alpha-1 in the 1970s. However, no one told him or the family that the condition is genetic – it can be passed on by parents to their children.
Today, Jennifer is on augmentation therapy and gets plenty of support from her husband, Chip.
Chip Trahan will be running the Chevron Houston Marathon this Sunday, Jan. 15, to raise funds for the Alpha-1 Foundation’s research programs.
To help with the Trahans’ fundraising, you can visit http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/irunforalpha1/houstonmarathon.
Their Facebook page is http://www.facebook.com/irunforalpha1.
