Ronald Reagan

“ Liver disorders affect thousands of American children from infancy to adolescence. More than 100 different types of liver diseases, which attack these young people, have been identified. These diseases can be inherited or acquired from infection, poisons, injury, or such diseases as cystic fibrosis, anemia, leukemia, kidney or intestinal disease and glandular disorders. Infants can be born with a damaged liver or with biliary atresia, a disease characterized by abnormally-formed bile ducts. Some disorders can result in cirrhosis of the liver. ”

“ I urge the people of the United States, and educational, philanthropic, scientific, medical and health care organizations and professionals to support appropriate efforts to discover the causes and cures of all types of liver disorders in children and to alleviate the suffering of victims of these disorders. ”

“ Research on liver diseases is continuing in order to increase our understanding of the underlying causes of these disorders, find preventive measures, develop better means of early detection, and improve our current methods of treatment. ”