Lorenzo Odone
Encyclopedia
Lorenzo Michael Murphy Odone (May 29, 1978 – May 30, 2008) was an American
adrenoleukodystrophy
(ALD) patient whose parents, Augusto and Michaela Odone
, sought a treatment for the disease and invented Lorenzo's oil
.
He was also the subject of the 1992 film Lorenzo's Oil which starred Nick Nolte
and Susan Sarandon
. Additionally, Phil Collins
translated a poem written by Michaela to Lorenzo to music for the song "Lorenzo" in his 1996 album Dance into the Light
.
and adrenoleukodystrophy
. They eventually invented "Lorenzo's oil
", which they hoped would stop the progress of the disease. It is a mixture of olive and rapeseed
oil.
on May 30, 2008, one day after his 30th birthday due to complications of aspiration pneumonia, with his father Augusto and his life long friend Oumouri at his side.
Americans
The people of the United States, also known as simply Americans or American people, are the inhabitants or citizens of the United States. The United States is a multi-ethnic nation, home to people of different ethnic and national backgrounds...
adrenoleukodystrophy
Adrenoleukodystrophy
Adrenoleukodystrophy is a rare, inherited disorder that leads to progressive brain damage, failure of the adrenal glands and eventually death. ALD is a disease in a group of genetic disorders called leukodystrophies, whose chief feature is damage to myelin...
(ALD) patient whose parents, Augusto and Michaela Odone
Augusto and Michaela Odone
Augusto Daniel Odone and Michaela Teresa Murphy Odone are the parents of Lorenzo Odone , a child afflicted with the illness adrenoleukodystrophy...
, sought a treatment for the disease and invented Lorenzo's oil
Lorenzo's oil
Lorenzo's oil is a 4:1 mixture of glycerol trioleate and glycerol trierucate , prepared from olive oil and rapeseed oil....
.
He was also the subject of the 1992 film Lorenzo's Oil which starred Nick Nolte
Nick Nolte
Nicholas King "Nick" Nolte is an American actor whose career has spanned over five decades, peaking in the 1990s when his commercial success made him one of the most popular celebrities of that decade.-Early life:...
and Susan Sarandon
Susan Sarandon
Susan Sarandon is an American actress. She has worked in films and television since 1969, and won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in the 1995 film Dead Man Walking. She had also been nominated for the award for four films before that and has received other recognition for her...
. Additionally, Phil Collins
Phil Collins
Philip David Charles "Phil" Collins, LVO is an English singer-songwriter, drummer, pianist and actor best known as a drummer and vocalist for British progressive rock group Genesis and as a solo artist....
translated a poem written by Michaela to Lorenzo to music for the song "Lorenzo" in his 1996 album Dance into the Light
Dance into the Light
Dance into the Light is the sixth solo album by Phil Collins released in 1996. it was notable for being the first album that Collins released as a full-time solo artist, having left Genesis earlier that year.-History:...
.
Quest for a treatment
At that time there was not a lot of information available about this disease, let alone a treatment. His parents therefore decided to take matters into their own hands, and began researching myelinMyelin
Myelin is a dielectric material that forms a layer, the myelin sheath, usually around only the axon of a neuron. It is essential for the proper functioning of the nervous system. Myelin is an outgrowth of a type of glial cell. The production of the myelin sheath is called myelination...
and adrenoleukodystrophy
Adrenoleukodystrophy
Adrenoleukodystrophy is a rare, inherited disorder that leads to progressive brain damage, failure of the adrenal glands and eventually death. ALD is a disease in a group of genetic disorders called leukodystrophies, whose chief feature is damage to myelin...
. They eventually invented "Lorenzo's oil
Lorenzo's oil
Lorenzo's oil is a 4:1 mixture of glycerol trioleate and glycerol trierucate , prepared from olive oil and rapeseed oil....
", which they hoped would stop the progress of the disease. It is a mixture of olive and rapeseed
Rapeseed
Rapeseed , also known as rape, oilseed rape, rapa, rappi, rapaseed is a bright yellow flowering member of the family Brassicaceae...
oil.
Death
Lorenzo died at his home in Fairfax, VirginiaFairfax, Virginia
The City of Fairfax is an independent city forming an enclave within the confines of Fairfax County, in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. Although politically independent of the surrounding county, the City is nevertheless the county seat....
on May 30, 2008, one day after his 30th birthday due to complications of aspiration pneumonia, with his father Augusto and his life long friend Oumouri at his side.
Further reading
- Vedantam, Shankar. "A Real-Life Sequel to 'Lorenzo's Oil'; After His Death, Scientist's Work May Bear Fruit." The Washington Post. January 28, 2007.
External links
- Lorenzo Odone - Daily Telegraph obituary