Meet Seamus. Seamus is four. Seamus has two imaginary friends, Justa & Gunk. Gunk in particular causes a fair bit of trouble. For example, if there is drawing on the living room wall, it is Gunk that gets the blame.That’s not all. Seamus has a cousin, Blade. Blade carries a gene called ALD. Blade is dying. Seamus has an older cousin, Jordan. Jordan carries a gene called ALD. Jordan has just undergone a bone marrow transplant.Seamus carries a gene called ALD. ALD or adrenoleukodystrophy is a rare genetic disease affecting 1 in 18000 boys. It is an x-linked gene, which means that it most severely affects boys and men. This brain disorder destroys myelin, the protective sheath that surrounds the brain’s neurons — the nerve cells that allow us to think and to control our muscles. The most devastating form of ALD appears in childhood, generally between the ages of four and ten years old. Normal, healthy boys suddenly begin to regress. At first, they simply show behavioral problems, such as withdrawal or difficulty concentrating. Gradually, their symptoms grow worse, including blindness and deafness, seizures, loss of muscle control, and progressive dementia. This relentless downward spiral leads to either death or permanent disability, usually within 2 to 5 years from diagnosis. The majority of other cases of the disease occur as the adult form, known as AMN. In about half of the sons who inherit the mutated ALD gene, symptoms of the disease do not develop until young adulthood, and in general, they progress more slowly. (Source: http://www.stopald.org/what-is-ald ) Seamus and his family are blessed to have beautiful (non-imaginary) friends who care for Seamus and seek to raise funds to help research for ALD and support boys like Seamus.