Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia & Situs Inversus Dextrocardia
Club:
Oakdale Middle School
Club's City, State:
Medford, OR
Date Adopted:
03/13/2026
Service Hours:
Meet Rio
Read Rio's Story
Rio is a sweet and loving 2-year-old boy who loves music and being outside in nature. He is endearingly referred to as a “daddy’s boy.”
Rio was born with a rare genetic disease called primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) and another condition called situs inversus totalis dextrocardia (SIT).
The SIT condition caused all his internal organs to flip to the opposite side of his body, including his heart and lungs.
The fact that all the organs flipped and grew correctly, the condition does not cause a huge threat to his health. However, doctors will continue to monitor him as he grows into a young boy.
The more severe condition is the PCD. This disease mimics cystic fibrosis by impairing the function of cilia, the tiny hair-like structures lining the respiratory tract, ears, and sinuses.
This condition prevents the effective clearance of mucus and debris, leading to chronic and recurrent infections, inflammation, and potential irreversible organ damage over time.
There is no cure for PCD, but early intervention is crucial. Rio requires a minimum of 2 nebulizer treatments, along with an airway clearance vest, two times a day. He also had tubes placed in his ears when he was 18 months old because the fluid was causing severe hearing loss.
Rio is currently enrolled in early intervention and receives several therapies, including speech therapy to help him gain the ability to talk. Rio visits medical specialists in Portland every 6 months and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future.
Rio will be adopted as the Sparrow to Oakdale Middle High School. Oakdale students will work hard to earn money for Rio through sponsored community service.
