Today’s featured artist is Crissi Brooks with her submission titled “PCD Awareness 2023”.

“Primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) is a genetically heterogeneous, rare lung disease causing chronic oto-sino-pulmonary disease and irreversible lung damage that may progress to respiratory failure. Recently, significant progress has been made in PCD diagnosis, yet few physicians outside of highly experienced PCD centers are skilled in recognizing the characteristic clinical phenotype and interpreting diagnostic tests. Patients often receive false-positive or false-negative PCD diagnoses, as physicians are unaware of the pitfalls commonly encountered with ciliary electron microscopy, PCD molecular genetic panels, ciliary motility studies, and nasal nitric oxide testing. Furthermore, PCD is often missed when respiratory symptoms are present in patients with other complex diseases involving cilia, such as heterotaxy and various genetic syndromes.”  ~ Diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment of primary ciliary dyskinesia: PCD foundation consensus recommendations based on state of the art review - Adam J. Shapiro MD, Maimoona A. Zariwala PhD, Thomas Ferkol MD, Stephanie D. Davis MD, Scott D. Sagel MD, PhD, Sharon D. Dell MD, Margaret Rosenfeld MD, Kenneth N. Olivier MD, Carlos Milla MD, Sam J. Daniel MD, Adam J. Kimple MD, Michele Manion, Michael R. Knowles MD, Margaret W. Leigh MD, for the Genetic Disorders of Mucociliary Clearance Consortium

The PCD Artist Project is a collaborative effort by artist to raise awareness for PCD or primary ciliary dyskinesia and support the PCD Smiles program. Each artist who submitted art work to the project either has PCD or has a PCD friend or family member.

The PCD Artist Project’s 2023 exhibition merchandise ranges from apparel, giftware, home furnishings, and printed products such as posters, prints, wall art, and other items, all created from our exhibition; which can be viewed on PCD Smiles’s website. It is our hope that you support the PCD Smiles program by purchasing exhibition merchandise today.

🧡 All proceeds from the PCD Artist Project go to support the PCD Smiles Cheer Package program! 🧡

Visit our shop today for your exhibition merchandise and more!

Join our Facebook group Turtle Talk Café today, click here.

We have several ways that you can donate to PCD Smiles;

- Visit Smile E. Turtle's Amazon Wishlist

- For more information on how you can donate, please visit our "Donation" page to check out our "Do & Don't policies.

- Or sponsor a PCD Smiles cheer package today!

- To shop for your “Official” turtle care ribbon gear today, visit PCD Style or Smile E. Cove

Thank you for your consideration!

Today’s featured artist is Reneé Dale with her submission titled “Garden’s Grace; Tranquility”.

“PCD is an inherited genetic disorder of the structure and / or function of the cilia, which are the tiny microscopic moving structures lining the airways, ears, sinuses and some other areas of the body. The sweeping, wave-like motion of cilia is important for keeping these areas clean and free from infection, acting as an essential primary defense barrier. In patients with PCD, this wave-like motion does not happen in the normal way, and in some, it does not happen at all.” ~ Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust

The PCD Artist Project is a collaborative effort by artist to raise awareness for PCD or primary ciliary dyskinesia and support the PCD Smiles program. Each artist who submitted art work to the project either has PCD or has a PCD friend or family member.

The PCD Artist Project’s 2023 exhibition merchandise ranges from apparel, giftware, home furnishings, and printed products such as posters, prints, wall art, and other items, all created from our exhibition; which can be viewed on PCD Smiles’s website. It is our hope that you support the PCD Smiles program by purchasing exhibition merchandise today.

🧡 All proceeds from the PCD Artist Project go to support the PCD Smiles Cheer Package program! 🧡

Visit our shop today for your exhibition merchandise and more!

Join our Facebook group Turtle Talk Café today, click here.

We have several ways that you can donate to PCD Smiles;

- Visit Smile E. Turtle's Amazon Wishlist

- For more information on how you can donate, please visit our "Donation" page to check out our "Do & Don't policies.

- Or sponsor a PCD Smiles cheer package today!

- To shop for your “Official” turtle care ribbon gear today, visit PCD Style or Smile E. Cove

Thank you for your consideration!

Today’s featured artist is Lizbeth with her submission titled “Standing in the Sun”.

“Motile cilia are very complex organelles (little organs) and are outgrowths on the surfaces of cells that line the upper (ears, nose and throat) and lower (lungs) respiratory tract. Each of these cells contains approximately 200 cilia that normally beat very fast in a coordinated fashion. Cilia are covered by a mucus “blanket” that traps unwanted inhaled particles and germs. The beating cilia underneath this blanket move the mucus to larger airways and the back of the throat where it is coughed out or swallowed. This is called mucociliary clearance and is one main way our bodies defend our lungs and maintain good respiratory health. Without properly functioning cilia, mucociliary clearance is severely impaired, and germ-filled mucus stays in the ears, nose, sinuses, and airways of the lungs, causing inflammation and repeated infections.” ~ The American Thoracic Society

The PCD Artist Project is a collaborative effort by artist to raise awareness for PCD or primary ciliary dyskinesia and support the PCD Smiles program. Each artist who submitted art work to the project either has PCD or has a PCD friend or family member.

The PCD Artist Project’s 2023 exhibition merchandise ranges from apparel, giftware, home furnishings, and printed products such as posters, prints, wall art, and other items, all created from our exhibition; which can be viewed on PCD Smiles’s website. It is our hope that you support the PCD Smiles program by purchasing exhibition merchandise today.

🧡 All proceeds from the PCD Artist Project go to support the PCD Smiles Cheer Package program! 🧡

Visit our shop today for your exhibition merchandise and more!

Join our Facebook group Turtle Talk Café today, click here.

We have several ways that you can donate to PCD Smiles;

- Visit Smile E. Turtle's Amazon Wishlist

- For more information on how you can donate, please visit our "Donation" page to check out our "Do & Don't policies.

- Or sponsor a PCD Smiles cheer package today!

- To shop for your “Official” turtle care ribbon gear today, visit PCD Style or Smile E. Cove

Thank you for your consideration!

Today’s featured photographer is Azaylea Ramirez with her submission titled “Surprise”.

“Primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) is an inherited autosomal-recessive disorder of motile cilia characterised by chronic lung disease, rhinosinusitis, hearing impairment and subfertility. Nasal symptoms and respiratory distress usually start soon after birth, and by adulthood bronchiectasis is invariable. Organ laterality defects, usually situs inversus, occur in ∼50% of cases. The estimated prevalence of PCD is up to ∼1 per 10 000 births, but it is more common in populations where consanguinity is common.” ~ Diagnosis and management of primary ciliary dyskinesia; Jane S Lucas, Andrea Burgess, Hannah M Mitchison, Eduardo Moya, Michael Williamson, & Claire Hogg

The PCD Artist Project is a collaborative effort by artist to raise awareness for PCD or primary ciliary dyskinesia and support the PCD Smiles program. Each artist who submitted art work to the project either has PCD or has a PCD friend or family member.

The PCD Artist Project’s 2023 exhibition merchandise ranges from apparel, giftware, home furnishings, and printed products such as posters, prints, wall art, and other items, all created from our exhibition; which can be viewed on PCD Smiles’s website. It is our hope that you support the PCD Smiles program by purchasing exhibition merchandise today.

🧡 All proceeds from the PCD Artist Project go to support the PCD Smiles Cheer Package program! 🧡

Visit our shop today for your exhibition merchandise and more!

Join our Facebook group Turtle Talk Café today, click here.

We have several ways that you can donate to PCD Smiles;

- Visit Smile E. Turtle's Amazon Wishlist

- For more information on how you can donate, please visit our "Donation" page to check out our "Do & Don't policies.

- Or sponsor a PCD Smiles cheer package today!

- To shop for your “Official” turtle care ribbon gear today, visit PCD Style or Smile E. Cove

Thank you for your consideration!