A Long and Great Journey... Waves of Condolence for the Longest-Lived Progeria Patient, Twice the Average Lifespan

A Disease That Causes Aging Decades Earlier Than Normal
No Special Treatment Yet for Progeria
Average Life Expectancy of Patients with Progeria Is '13 Years'

Sammy Basso, the world's longest-living patient with the rare incurable disease progeria, passed away at the age of 28.

On the 10th, the Italian Progeria Association announced, "Sammy Basso suddenly passed away after having dinner with his loved ones on the 5th." The association mourned, saying, "We are deeply grateful for the 'privilege' of being able to accompany his journey," and added, "Sammy taught us all that 'although life's obstacles sometimes seem insurmountable, life is still worth living fully.'"

Sammy Basso, the world's longest-lived progeria patient who suffered from the rare incurable disease progeria, has passed away at the age of 28.
[Photo by Sammy Basso Instagram]

Born in the Veneto region of northern Italy, Sammy was diagnosed with progeria at the age of two. At ten, with the help of his parents, he founded the Italian Progeria Association and dedicated his life to raising public awareness about the disease. He became especially well-known through the National Geographic documentary Sammy's Journey. The documentary follows his trip along the U.S. Route 66 from Chicago to Los Angeles with his parents and best friend. Furthermore, he authored research papers on the potential of genetic engineering to treat progeria, and in recognition of his contributions, he was awarded the title of Knight of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic by Italian President Sergio Mattarella in 2019.

Progeria is a genetic disorder characterized by premature aging, causing affected individuals to age several decades earlier than normal. It is a congenital disorder caused by abnormalities in the LMNA gene located on chromosome 1, and is inherited in an autosomal dominant manner. This disease is extremely rare, occurring in approximately one in several million people.

Progeria can affect individuals regardless of gender or race. Typically, there are no noticeable abnormalities at birth, but within the first year of life, progeria-related features such as growth retardation, loss of body fat, hair loss, skin aging, and stiff joints appear. As the patient ages, complications such as hip dislocation, heart disease, and seizures may occur, with most patients dying around the average age of 13. Unfortunately, there is no specific cure for progeria. Treatment is based on the symptoms presented by each individual. However, related research is actively ongoing. In 2005, Dr. Francis Collins and his team at the U.S. National Institutes of Health revealed that farnesyltransferase inhibitors (FTIs) could prevent cellular defects in congenital progeria. In 2011, research results were published showing that rapamycin, used as an immunosuppressant for kidney transplant patients, could help clear progerin, a toxic protein that causes aging, and thus be beneficial for congenital childhood progeria.