Ethan was born with cataracts on both of his eyes, shortened humerus, joint contractures, hearing loss in both ears and a positional club foot. Doctors gave him little hope for survival.
Ethan’s parents, Melinda and Herb Holladay, were devastated to discover that few children diagnosed with RCPD live past the age of 10 and many do not live beyond infancy.
Despite the news, the Holladay family kept faith that their baby boy would surpass all expectations. After multiple surgeries and weekly physical, occupational and speech therapy, Ethan made daily improvements.
About eight months into Ethan’s treatment, SPM Resorts and the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Columbia teamed up to send the Holladay family on a weeklong getaway in Myrtle Beach, S.C.
The Holladay Family
Alcolu, S.C.
The Holladays left Myrtle Beach feeling rejuvenated and ready to face the daily trials surrounding Ethan’s care.
Ethan is Melinda and Herb’s third son. Their older sons do not have RCPD, which is a genetic disorder, not caused by anything during pregnancy, but inherited from parents who both carry the silent gene.
Typically, RCPD kids suffer from shortened humerus(upper arms) and femus(legs), joint contractures(stiff joints), cataracts, dry skin, seizures and severe delays in growth and development.
Today, the Holladays continue to care for their son, counting each day as a blessing. For an update on Ethan and his family, visit Melinda Hollday’s journal at:
To learn more about RCDP, please visit www.rhizokids.org.
Rare and incurable: two words the Holladay family heard when their doctors described their son Ethan’s diagnosis, Rhizomelic Chondrodysplasia Punctata Disease (RCPD).
Just three weeks after he was born, Ethan Holladay stunned his doctors who had never encountered RCPD, a rare genetic disorder that affects one in every 100,000 infants, before.
“It [was] one of the best weeks that we have ever had--our first family vacation with our precious Ethan,” Melinda Holladay said. “That week [was] so good for Taylor and Landon."
"Things have not been easy for them since Ethan was born, but they are such good boys and they have adjusted better than I could have hoped. It means so much to us to know that so many people went to such great lengths to give us this amazing gift.”
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