To find a cure for a rare genetic disease, doctor puts what seems like science fiction into practice [Video]

DENVER — It was an accident.

Early in Dr. Fumihiko Urano’s career as a physician and researcher, while providing treatment for a 17-year-old boy who had an untreatable form of cancer, he found out about a rare degenerative and terminal disease known as Wolfram Syndrome and became inspired. 

“During one of the boy’s exams, he smiled at me, and that struck me and not long after that he died,” Urano explained with a heavy heart. “So, I thought this could be a chance for me to help people suffering from a disease that doesn’t have any cure or treatment.”

Urano also realized that developing friendships with patients and their loved ones fueled his drive to help those with terminal illnesses, especially Wolfram Syndrome, which affects roughly one out of every 500,000 people. Only about 1,000 Americans are living with the disorder.  

Ellie White, 21, has the disease. Initially, at the age of three it was determined that she had type 1 …