Chris and Helen Bedford - Gay are the founders and patient advocacy leaders at FOP Friends charity. In 2009 their first child, Oliver, was diagnosed with FOP, aged just one.

FOP Friends’ aim is to further research into Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva (FOP) and related conditions by supporting current and future research projects. 

In this podcast they talk to us about the patient journey and their experiences as both parents of a child with FOP and patient advocacy leaders.

FOP is an ultra-rare disabling  genetic condition and is one of the most disabling conditions known to medicine. FOP causes the soft connective tissue of the body to turn into new bone.  When that occurs over or near joints, or within a muscle, it restricts the person’s movements.  This new bone, or ossification, can mean that the sufferer is no longer able to move the joint.  Once movement has been lost in a part of the body, it is not possible to remove the new bone as that can aggravate the FOP and trigger further bone growth.

FOP is characterised by congenital malformations of the big toes and progressive heterotopic ossification (HO) in specific anatomic patterns. FOP is the most catastrophic disorder of HO in humans. Flare-ups are episodic; immobility is cumulative.  A common mutation in activin receptor IA (ACVR1), a bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) type I receptor, exists in all sporadic and familial cases with a classic presentation of FOP.

Chris and Helen discuss how educating the wider population ensuring an early diagnosis, is key to preventing further heterotopic ossification. 

There is currently no treatment for FOP. As a patient organisation investigating all  avenues of research and finding more FOP doctors, who are willing to be educated about FOP,  is essential.