In the latest episode of our podcast, Dutch teenagers Olivia and Dianne share their lived experience with a rare, life‑threatening cholesterol disorder. Recorded live at the ICPerMed and EP PerMed Conference in Prague, they join FH Europe’s Magdalena Daccord to discuss how early diagnosis and cutting‑edge personalised therapies have transformed a once‑invasive treatment journey into a peaceful, normal life.
Homozygous Familial Hypercholesterolemia (HoFH) is a rare inherited disorder. It is caused by inheriting two copies of a mutated gene, which prevents the body from effectively clearing low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol from the bloodstream. This can result in severe cardiovascular disease and complications at a very young age. In a live recording of the EP PerMed podcast “The Science of You” at the joint ICPerMed and EP PerMed Conference in November 2025 in Prague, Magdalena Daccord (FH Europe), Olivia de Graaf and Dianne van Leeuwen (both patients) discussed their condition, as well as how early diagnosis and personalised therapy have enabled them to enjoy a much better quality of life. This showcases how personalised approaches are already changing patients’ lives today.