Nevada

Southern Nevada family fights rare ‘childhood Alzheimer’s’ disease while pushing for a cure

Published

3 months ago

March 12, 2026

Southern Nevada family fights rare ‘childhood Alzheimer’s’ disease while pushing for a cure

LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — A 4-year-old Las Vegas boy is battling Niemann-Pick Type C, a fatal disease affecting just 4 children in Nevada. His family is fighting insurance barriers, traveling cross-country for care.

Jordan and Jennifer Mitchell’s home is filled with love. Their son Liam, just 4 and a half years old, is doing what kids his age do — giggling and playing. But inside his body, a race against time is underway.

VIDEO: Abel Garcia talks to the Mitchell Family about their fight for their son and rare disease

Southern Nevada family fights rare ‘childhood Alzheimer’s’ disease while pushing for a cure

Liam is one of just four children in Nevada diagnosed with Niemann-Pick Type C, a rare neurodegenerative condition often called “childhood Alzheimer’s.” The disease slowly takes away a child’s ability to walk, talk and even swallow, and it is always fatal. Without treatment, children with Liam’s form of NPC may not live past age 5.

“When he was born, he had a lot of complications right from birth… and that helped us get to a diagnosis — as terrible as it is, we found out early,” Jordan Mitchell said.

The family says they have seen progress through a careful regimen of medications and spinal injections. But keeping Liam stable comes at an extraordinary cost — between $1.3 million and $3.1 million a year — and the Mitchells say they have already faced pushback from their insurance provider.

“Knowing that these medications do work… but if the insurance says they’re too expensive, that’s it — that’s not easy to live with,” Jennifer Mitchell said.

When I asked the Mitchells about access to healthcare in Southern Nevada, Jordan was direct.

“The healthcare in the valley is not good for preventative or trying to treat these long-term problems,” Jordan Mitchell said. “They ultimately said we couldn’t figure it out… and ultimately we had to go out of state to get him treated.”

Because Liam cannot fly due to his compromised immune system, the family makes cross-country drives to access treatment and research.

“We don’t fly… we’ve done eight or ten drives to the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, and now to the test sites in Chicago once a year,” Jennifer Mitchell said.

Now, the family says hope is coming from a groundbreaking gene therapy study led by University of Iowa researcher Dr. Mark Schultz, which is showing promising results.

“We were able to prove that a gene therapy can cure Niemann-Pick Type C… we’ve funded a mouse liver study and we’re in the process of publishing that work,” Jordan Mitchell said.

To help fund that research, the Mitchells created a nonprofit — the Life for Liam and Friends Foundation — and host annual fundraisers in Southern Nevada.

“Don’t give up hope. If you aren’t trying, there’s no chance you’re going to get help… I am hopeful Nevada can improve healthcare so anyone can find the treatment they need,” Mitchell said.

The Mitchells say they will keep pushing, keep driving and keep loving their son for as long as they can.

Because families like the Mitchells have struggled to find specialized care here, I reached out to find out what else is being done. A spokesperson with Intermountain Health told me their first stand-alone children’s hospital planned for Southern Nevada will include neurology, with specialists on staff, when the hospital opens in 2030.

Meanwhile, 66 members of the Class of 2028 at the Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV received their white coats, marking their official transition from classroom studies to direct, hands-on patient care — a milestone that represents continued investment in building the next generation of doctors here in Southern Nevada.

If there’s something you’d like me to look into, email me at abel.garcia@ktnv.com.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

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Nevada

Las Vegas Pizza Festival returns for sixth year

Published

7 hours ago

May 27, 2026

Press Room

Las Vegas Pizza Festival returns for sixth year

LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — The Las Vegas Pizza Festival returns for its sixth year.

The event brings together the city’s top pizzaiolos on Saturday, Nov. 14, at the Industrial Event Space on 2330 Industrial Rd.

Ticket information will be released in the coming weeks. Pizza lovers are encouraged to sign up for the official newsletter on the Vegas Pizza Fest website to be the first to know about ticket sales. Organizers said prices will increase with demand.

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The event is presented by Greco & Sons and was created in partnership with the Las Vegas Pizza Alliance.

Festival features

The festival is an all-you-can-eat celebration of pizza styles from around the world, including New York, Detroit, Sicilian, Neapolitan, and more.

This year’s lineup will feature local favorites including Metro Pizza, Pizza Rock and Good Pie, alongside new local pizzerias.

“Each year, we look forward to bringing together the incredible talent that defines Las Vegas’ pizza scene, and the festival just keeps getting better,” said Industrial Event Space co-owner and general manager Josh Abelson. “From longtime favorites to new standouts, we’re excited to welcome guests back for another year of amazing pizza, big flavors and a high-energy experience you won’t find anywhere else.”

General admission includes unlimited pizza tastings, photo opportunities, bars, and merchandise.

VIP guests will have early entry, exclusive bites, and complimentary alcohol served in a commemorative tasting glass. VIP guests also get a swag bag and access to an air-conditioned lounge with seating and restrooms.

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Nevada

Find artistic inspiration at Nevada City’s First Friday Art Walks

Published

19 hours ago

May 27, 2026

Press Room

Find artistic inspiration at Nevada City’s First Friday Art Walks

Join the Nevada City Chamber of Commerce for an exuberant evening of art in the shops and on the streets. Over 15 downtown Nevada City businesses will participate by staying open late and hosting an artist in their space. Many businesses will have the artists on site, so attendees can meet the makers and mingle in open-house style receptions. Numerous businesses will also offer specials, activities, or live demonstrations.

The mission of the Art Walk is to increase awareness, appreciation, and participation in the arts in our local community, while also increasing commerce for local businesses in the downtown Nevada City area. Nevada City has long since been a cultural and arts hub — the Art Walk aims to put a spotlight on our incredible arts community. The First Friday Art Walks run the first Friday of each month from June through August.

In addition to the festivities happening inside businesses, there will be live music and performances on the streets and a small selection of curated arts vendors. The first event kicks-off Friday, June 5, 2026, from 6-9 p.m. The June event will include a performance by the Haute Trash Fashion Show, live music, and youth activities

Come spend an evening strolling through downtown, enjoy a meal, visit the shops, and see incredible local artists. The event is free and open to all ages. Maps will be available at the event and on Instagram at @nevadacitychamber with a list of all participating locations.

More information at nevadacitychamber.com.

Quaint, scenic & historic — Nevada City is an exuberant Victorian era city amid mountains, rivers, and forest. Known as the “Queen of the Mining Towns,” Nevada City is a true gem who lives up to her reputation, by brimming with beauty, culture, and history. The Nevada City Chamber of Commerce is a nonprofit membership organization formed in 1937 to support small businesses in Nevada City and the surrounding region by providing technical, business, and tourism support.

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Nevada

Human skull found in Nye County, authorities look for answers

Published

1 day ago

May 26, 2026

Press Room

Human skull found in Nye County, authorities look for answers

Authorities on Tuesday asked for information from the public after a human skull was found near Pahrump on Sunday.

According to a Facebook post, the Nye County Sheriff’s Office said dispatch received a report Sunday evening from hikers about a possible human skull found near Barney Road and Nye Road in the Shadow Mountain area, west of Pahrump.

Detectives with the sheriff’s office went to the scene and confirmed that the skull was human, according to the Facebook page.

As of Tuesday, Nye County officials said in the Facebook post, investigators could not be certain how long the skull had been in the location where it was found.

The skull was set to be submitted to the Clark County coroner’s office for DNA analysis in an effort to identify the person and the person’s cause of death.

Anyone with information related to the case is asked to contact the Nye County Sheriff’s Office at 775-751-7000, option 5, according to the post.

Contact Bryan Horwath at bhorwath@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BryanHorwath on X.

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