Wake County Schools

Wake play-a-thon honors teen with rare disease

An afternoon of music Sunday honored the life of a young teen and raised awareness about the rare disease that has impacted her life.

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CARY, N.C. — An afternoon of music Sunday honored the life of a young teen and raised awareness about the rare disease that has impacted her life.

Wake County students and music teachers showcased their piano skills during a Play-a-Thon that celebrated the life of 17-year-old Taylor King.

The ninth annual event, which benefited Taylor’s Tale- the charity named in King’s honor- helped support the fight against infantile Batten disease, which leads to vision loss and cognitive skills in children.

King, of Charlotte, was diagnosed with infantile Batten disease in 2006 when she was 7-years-old and has been blind since elementary school. King’s sister, Laura King Edwards, said that her sister is in a wheelchair, can’t speak and suffers from seizures.

“Batten disease has robbed Taylor of almost everything, but her courage continues to inspire others,” said Edwards. “The cruel reality of Batten disease is that until we have a treatment, it will always be fatal and kids like Taylor will never get better.”

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