Meet Zack Orban, the focus of Dysautonomia International’s Volunteer Spotlight for December 2019! Zack has been a great volunteer for Dysautonomia International for the past several years.

Zack was instrumental in carrying out our 2019 conference study earlier this year. He processed hundreds of blood, serum and genetic specimens using the laboratory skills he acquired as a Neuroscience major at North Central College and as a Research Study Coordinator at Northwestern University, where he currently works on T cell immunity and the role of viruses in neurological disorders and neuroinfectious disease. “I was thrilled I was able to use my skill set and education to assist with a study to set the foundation for POTS research in terms of immunology.”

Zack has helped out at prior conferences too, and he raises funds to support Dysautonomia International’s research, physician education, public awareness, advocacy and patient empowerment programs. He’s also put his research skills to good use serving as a grant reviewer for Dysautonomia International’s highly competitive POTS Research Fund grant program.

“The organization means a lot to me and inspires me, as I want to become a researcher myself. Since I have POTS, I know first hand how badly we need the resources that Dysautonomia International provides.”

Zack was diagnosed with POTS 6 years ago and like many of us, he’s been through a lot, but he remains optimistic. “I struggled when I was first diagnosed, but once I had more experience on how to handle the condition I was able to see how much I was still able to do. Never give up and don’t be afraid to try new things that may help.”

If you’d like to volunteer for Dysautonomia International, get involved with our support groups to find out what’s going on in  your area (dysautonomiainternational.org/support), sign up for our email list (bit.ly/email_DI), or contact us at volunteer@dysautonomiainternational.org.

Zach (blue shirt, back row) was part of the international research team that conducted the POTS Immune-Phenotyping study during Dysautonomia International’s 2019 Conference.

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