First published 2020
Cystic fibrosis once meant certain death for children like Joey O'Donnell, born in 1974 with mysterious symptoms that baffled doctors for months. His constant hunger, endless vomiting, and violent cough that wracked his small body pointed to something serious. The answer came from an unexpected clue: his salty skin. Joey had cystic fibrosis, a genetic lung disease that typically killed before age one. Science writer Bijal Trivedi traces how this fatal condition became a gateway to treating genetic diseases from Alzheimer's to diabetes. She follows the discovery of the CF gene in 1989, the crushing disappointment when promised cures failed, and the unlikely partnership between desperate parents and a small biotech company. Trivedi weaves together voices of patients, families, doctors, and scientists who refused to accept defeat. The book reveals how their persistence led to pills that repair the broken protein causing this deadly disease, offering hope for millions facing genetic disorders.
Genres: science, medical, non-fiction, biography-memoir, health, history-of-medicine
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: medical-trauma, persistence
Period: 1974, 1989
615 pages · Hardcover · BenBella Books
Content warnings: medical-trauma