Billy Anton is a business professional and vice chair of the PCD Foundation Board of Directors. He is also diagnosed with primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD), an inherited condition in which mucociliary clearance of the lungs is impaired, causing recurrent infections that may lead to hearing loss, chronic cough, severe lung damage, and bronchiectasis (irreversible scarring and dilation of the bronchi). Here, Billy shares his journey with PCD, from early diagnosis to getting involved in research and patient advocacy.
The Genetic Disorders of Mucociliary Clearance Consortium (GDMCC) is a network of experts working together to better understand rare and genetic conditions leading to impairments in lung defenses and suppurative respiratory disorders, including primary ciliary dyskinesia, cystic fibrosis, primary immunodeficiencies, and idiopathic bronchiectasis. Here, principal investigators Stephanie Davis, MD, and Thomas Ferkol, MD, share the history of the consortium, current research, and future plans.
