A packaging industry professional residing in Sparta, NJ, Robert “Bobby” Wiebel leads Econo-Pak as the director of operations. Outside of work, Robert Wiebel supports organizations fighting Tay-Sachs disease.
A rare inherited disorder, Tay-Sachs is most commonly found among Caucasian populations, especially those of Central and Eastern European Jewish descent. Babies born with Tay-Sachs show no symptoms at birth, but because they lack a vital enzyme that clears out fatty substances, unwanted fatty protein builds up in their brains and interferes with healthy growth.
By around six months of age, the babies’ development slows and they start to show signs of the disease. Eventually, children with Tay-Sachs experience seizures, lose sight and hearing, and develop other severe mental problems. As the disease continues to progress, it shuts down the nervous system, leading to paralysis and ultimately death. Most children with Tay-Sachs don’t live much beyond their fifth birthday.
Although there is currently no cure for Tay-Sachs, organizations such as the National Tay-Sachs and Allied Disease Association and the Cure Tay-Sachs Foundation are currently working to develop treatments for the disease. These and other groups also recommend that everyone of Jewish, Irish, French Canadian, and Cajun heritage get tested to see if they are carriers of the Tay-Sachs gene.
A rare inherited disorder, Tay-Sachs is most commonly found among Caucasian populations, especially those of Central and Eastern European Jewish descent. Babies born with Tay-Sachs show no symptoms at birth, but because they lack a vital enzyme that clears out fatty substances, unwanted fatty protein builds up in their brains and interferes with healthy growth.
By around six months of age, the babies’ development slows and they start to show signs of the disease. Eventually, children with Tay-Sachs experience seizures, lose sight and hearing, and develop other severe mental problems. As the disease continues to progress, it shuts down the nervous system, leading to paralysis and ultimately death. Most children with Tay-Sachs don’t live much beyond their fifth birthday.
Although there is currently no cure for Tay-Sachs, organizations such as the National Tay-Sachs and Allied Disease Association and the Cure Tay-Sachs Foundation are currently working to develop treatments for the disease. These and other groups also recommend that everyone of Jewish, Irish, French Canadian, and Cajun heritage get tested to see if they are carriers of the Tay-Sachs gene.