Ronald Reagan

“ Scleroderma, which literally means "hard skin," is a painful and debilitating connective tissue disease characterized by excessive deposits of collagen in the skin. The hallmark of this disease is skin thickening, but scleroderma can also involve other organs such as the gastrointestinal tract, lungs, heart, or kidneys. The disease can begin at any age, but it usually affects people in their most productive years, and women more frequently than men. ”

“ Research studies on scleroderma include investigations of various causes of the disease, research on vascular alterations, research on regulation of collagen synthesis, and development of diagnostic probes. Such fundamental research may lead to new and improved treatment strategies that will effectively attack the disease itself. ”