Tuberous Sclerosis Complex Clinic
Patient Story
Mackenzie’s Story: Lessons from Tuberous Sclerosis
 Two weeks before Mackenzie's first birthday, she had a mild seizure while her father was bathing her. Her parents were concerned, but like most parents faced with sudden and unusual behavior in their first child, they hoped it was an anomaly. When it happened again, they consulted a pediatric neurologist. During the exam, the physician noticed a large white spot on Mackenzie's abdomen, along with smaller spots on her arms and legs. He ordered an MRI.
"Four days later we got the diagnosis, and our world came apart," said Mackenzie’s mother, Mary Jane. The presence of tubers in the cortex of the brain confirmed the neurologist’s suspicions: Mackenzie had a genetic disorder called tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC).
Today, she’s a full-fledged teenager, bopping to music on her favorite CDs and fighting her sisters for computer time.
Read her story.
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