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New Stanton Family Facing Incredible Medical Challenges

NEW STANTON (KDKA) -- Four young children have developed a disease that currently has no cure, and now their fight has turned into a family affair.

Meet the Johnson kids.

Big brother Ayden is 9, and his triplet sister Olivia, Payton and Riley are 6. They all attend Stanwood Elementary in New Stanton, and they're just like every other kid except for one unfortunate regard.

They all have a disease called Ataxia telangiectasia, a debilitating and rare neurodegenerative condition.

"Worldwide were up to 700. In the United States, I think there's 500, and we have four of them," says Addison Johnson, the children's mom. "They say they'll be in a wheelchair by the age of 10, and the life expectancy is in the 20s."

Making things even more challenging, Payton had cerebral palsy and Olivia is in remission from lymphoma. It's an unbelievable challenge for their mom, Addison, and father, Ryan.

"It's hard," she said. "I mean we're doing doctors' appointments daily this week."

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Mom and dad don't have a lot of time to waste on feeling sorry for themselves or their kids' challenges.

On Saturday, March 19, a benefit is planned for the family. The Johnsons are battling through medical bills; however, the money will be going somewhere else - The AT Children's Project.

"They're doing stem cell research in Australia that within five years they're going to be able to test it on the first AT patient," says Addison. "You never know, we have lots and lots of hope."

For more information on how you can help this family and their cause, visit:

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