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Bill Nye Shares Family's Ataxia Struggle: 'Every Time You Lose Your Balance, You Think This Is the End'

Bill Nye, the beloved 'Science Guy' says many of his family members suffer from Ataxia, a rare neurological disorder that their ancestors had in colonial times.

Beloved "Science Guy" Bill Nye is sharing his family's long struggle with the degenerative neurological condition Ataxia for International Ataxia Awareness Day on Sept. 25 The disorder affects balance and "any fine motor movement," Nye explains, sharing that symptoms are often dismissed as "carelessness" Recent breakthroughs have identified the gene repeat behind Ataxia — and as Nye says, "studying it may lead to other discoveries related to genes at large" A neurological condition that starts in the cerebellum and causes trouble with coordinating movement, Ataxia manifests with physical symptoms, the beloved “Science Guy” explains. “Feel free to donate to the National Ataxia Foundation and contribute to the research because it's another genetic disorder — and studying it may lead to other discoveries related to genes at large,” he says.

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