IN THE SPOTLIGHT
On any given day, ask Lauren Baruzzini what she's up to and you will be amazed at how much one person can do. A recent graduate of Southeast Missouri State University, Lauren works as a legal clerk at a law firm and has set her sights on law school. During her college years, Lauren belonged to student organizations and a sorority, volunteered for various charities and spearheaded her own fundraiser. And all that while graduating early and with honors!

Of course, this doesn't mean that life has always been a breeze for her. Growing up, Lauren had to learn how to live with PKU and maintain the diet it requires. And although sometimes the diet is frustrating, she has always found ways to make the best of it.

An important part of her journey with PKU has been the awareness and support of her family, friends and teachers. One of Lauren's favorite childhood memories is when her and her dad tried out different low protein recipes for making bread. It was a special time together, even if the results were sometimes less than spectacular. And family and friends have always been great about finding out ahead of time if they have food that would be appropriate for Lauren's diet.

One thing for sure is that living with PKU has changed Lauren's
outlook on life. Her responsibilities forced her to grow up sooner,
but more importantly it taught her to be very grateful for what
she has. Lauren realizes that, in her words, "there are more important
things in this world than a cheeseburger."

So what is important? To Lauren, the best way to put PKU in
perspective is to focus on your long term goals.
If you are serious about reaching these goals then you
need to perform at your best. Lauren sums it up
when she says, "Doing what you love is what makes
life worthwhile." Lauren's goal is to work as an attorney
in family law. And it doesn't seem like much can hold her
back. Especially PKU.