A 5-year-old boy from Colorado died last week from an extremely rare medical condition, just days after being hospitalized.
Justin Vu passed away on July 8 from systemic capillary leak syndrome, also known as Clarkson's disease.
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The disorder causes plasma to leak from blood vessels into surrounding tissues.
He died at Randall Children's Hospital in Portland, Oregon, only five days after first feeling sick, according to KGW News.
Justin was on a family vacation from Colorado in the Pacific Northwest when he suddenly developed a stomachache.
His mother, Terese Peden, initially thought it was normal, but the boy began vomiting throughout the night.
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Peden rushed him to the hospital, where doctors struggled to diagnose his condition.
After two days, he was placed on life support, and doctors told his mother he had a "50/50 chance" of survival.
Eventually, doctors identified Clarkson's disease as the likely cause. According to the Cleveland Clinic, there is no cure for the condition.
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If not treated promptly, blood pressure drops rapidly, leading to organ failure and death. The exact cause is unknown.
"We were informed that his body was dying, and those medications were not going to be enough," his mother said.
Doctors made another attempt to save Justin but were unsuccessful. He died five days after being hospitalized.
Now, the family is raising awareness about the rare condition.
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Justin's father, Viet Vu, wrote on Facebook, "If my son's story can help even one person, it would make all of us happy."
