Melas syndrome is a rare genetic condition; 10 people in Singapore are being treated for it.
Ms Iris Quek, 43, was diagnosed in 2021 with Melas syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that afflicts 10 people in Singapore.
“The Covid-19 pandemic made things worse. Only two people were allowed to visit and for five minutes each time. By then, I could remember only three people – my brother, my husband and my sister-in-law. It took me a long time to recognise my parents,” she said. Melas syndrome affects the body’s systems, particularly the brain, nervous system and muscles, by affecting the activity of the mitochondria of cells in the body which help turn food into energy and allow cells to function.
When the stroke-like episodes occur repeatedly, they can progressively cause damage to the brain, leading to vision loss, problems with movement and dementia. Over time, the symptoms will worsen and become fatal.It’s so rare, only 1 in 8,000 people have this disease, but KKH has a specialist clinic for it
There is no cure for Melas syndrome, but doctors manage its symptoms with a combination of treatments such as anti-seizure medication for stroke-like episodes and supplements “to bypass the blocked pathways”, the doctor added.
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