Why SBG Homes Supports PKU

SBG Homes founders have a lifelong relationship with a local family that has a little girl with PKU. SBG Homes is a proud sponsor of the Seattle Lifting The Limits for PKU fundraiser and their support is helping make research into a cure for PKU possible. SBG Homes understands that PKU is a rare disease and research funding to find a breakthrough falls on PKU families and the support of their community.

SBG Homes will donate $1000 from every home we sell toward finding a cure for PKU.

What is PKU?

Phenylketonuria is a genetic metabolic disorder that greatly reduces the ability of those affected to metabolize phenylalanine, one of the amino acids in protein. A buildup of phenylalanine (phe) in the blood can cause profound damage to the central nervous system in children and adults. If untreated in newborns, PKU can cause irreversible brain damage.

How is PKU diagnosed?

In the United States, PKU is diagnosed through life-saving Newborn Screening, which is mandatory in all 50 states. In the early 1960s, Dr. Robert Guthrie developed the “heel-prick test,” where blood is taken from babies at birth and screened (now more than 77 diseases) because early detection of PKU is vital to prevent brain damage.

How is PKU treated?

Individuals with PKU must maintain a life-long protein-restricted diet (as little as 2 grams per day in some cases) while drinking a metabolic formula that provides the protein (minus phenylalanine) that is absent from their diet, along with other nutrients. Regular blood tests help determine whether the phe levels in the blood are within a safe range, and diets are adjusted to allow for changes through an individual’s life.

How you can help…

Support the National PKU Alliance