Having just returned from the highest city on earth, I thought it might be a good idea to write down what it is like in Lhasa, Tibet.
Once the secluded fortress of the Dalai Lama, Lhasa, Tibet is now a bustling, if dirty Chinese city. Since the "peaceful occupation" of Tibet by the Chinese army in 1949, the government of China has relocated hundreds of thousands of Chinese into the city and the population is now more Chinese than Tibetan.
Lhasa sits in between beautiful mountains at 12,000 feet above sea level. Once known as the world's most closed city (no westerner ever set foot there before the Chinese invasion) Lhasa is now a bustling center of tourism and a growing urban metropolis complete with trash, vehicle emissions and Karaoke.
But, we weren't there to enjoy the smog or the smoke-filled internet cafe's filled with WOW gamers, we were there for a couple of reasons:
1. To investigate a nasty disease called Kashin-Beck.
2. To share the love of Jesus Christ with those whom we met.
Kashin-Beck disease is a severe form of arthritis which deforms the joints (knee, wrist, neck and others) and curves the spine ( much like scoliosis). Our purpose on this trip was to collect DNA samples from affected persons to determine if there is a possible genetic mutation which increases the likelihood of contracting this disease. While we are reasonably sure the disease does not follow pure Mendelian patterns (it isn't passed on in a recessive or dominant pattern), it does appear that some sort of multifactorial genetics come into play as women predominate over men with the disease, and within nuclear families (families with the same mom and dad), some children may be affected, while others are not. The Chinese insist that there are environmental aspects as well, which we cannot deny, but my suspicion is that environmental factors play a small role, if any.
Here is a woman affected by the disease:
While you might think that nothing appears out of the ordinary for this woman, when I saw her in person (I am the world's worst photographer) I thought she was in her late 60's. her spine is bent and her hands swollen, as are her knees and elbows. She is in her 40's.
This is what happens to your major joints when you have Kashin Beck disease:
Notice the very enlarged areas on both sides of her knees - this lady is only 40 years old. The bones which comprise her knee are rubbing together - the cartilage is gone, which is one reason for the swelling. Imagine, if you can, walking each and every day with no cartilage between your bones.
Well, you may ask, "What can I do about something like this?"
There are at least two things you can do. One, is pray and ask God to reveal to us the cause and the cure for this disease. Two, you can either come with us the next time we go, or you can support a team member by helping to underwrite the cost of their trip.
If you are interested in more information regarding this project, scientific information regarding the disease or supporting this work, you can email me at:
jeff.cokenour@gmail.com
Or visit our website at www.innovativehs.net
