PKU Stories

Kevin Alexander, a 39-year-old with PKU, shares a memory from childhood when he accidentally spilled his formula all over his grandmother’s car, and even as an eight-year-old he knew that car would never be the same. More info about the series: This episode is part of an animated documentary series, called "The Low-Phe Life", about living with PKU—a rare metabolic disorder. PKU or phenylketonuria inhibits a person’s ability to break down protein. People with PKU, like Kurt Sensenbrenner the series’ director, must adhere to a strict low protein diet of fruits and vegetables, and drink a supplemental formula multiple times a day for their entire life to avoid serious neurological and physical side effects. For reference, the average, non-PKU person consumes about 60 grams of protein per day, Kurt can only have seven. Having to maintain such a tight regimen means one little mishap and things can go awry quickly! This series focuses on the times in life when things don’t go according to plan, it embraces the humor that can be found in stressful situations, and sheds light on what it’s like to live with a rare disorder. Do you have PKU or know someone who does? Have a story to submit? https://lowphelife.com/pages/submit-your-story Sign up for updates to know when the next episode will be released and when the next season will be released! www.lowphelife.com The Crew: Director: Kurt Sensenbrenner (has PKU) Kurt is an award winning documentary media maker who happens to have PKU. His directorial debut "From Mass to the Mountain"–a feature documentary chronicling drought and deforestation in unstable eastern Panama–aired on PBS and continues to screen nationwide on PBS. With over 10 years of video production experience, Kurt spent the last five working as a staff Video Producer where he researched, pitched, directed, produced, shot, and edited nonfiction aviation videos for the AOPA Air Safety Institute, which earns over 13 million views a year. His latest documentary is in post-production and tells the story of two young women fighting to protect rainforest using butterflies as bioindicators to determine the health of their local rainforest. Head Illustrator and Animator: Rory Waudby-Tolley Rory is an animator whose films have played at many festivals around the world and featured on Short of the Week, Cartoon Brew, It’s Nice That and Vimeo Staff Picks. In 2018 he made an award-winning environmental animated documentary about a lake in East Texas - “There’s Something in the Water.” In 2019 he made “New Year,” a BFI NETWORK funded sci-fi comedy short, co-directed by Diana Gradinaru. Composer and Sound Mixer: Brian Flood Brian scored Kurt’s first feature documentary and did the final theatrical mix as well. Since then Kurt has tried to bring him onto every project he’s directing. Brian has worked for a multitude of clients, including New York City Ballet, Refinery29, Google, Viceland, AllianceBernstein, Hyatt, and many others. Films he’s mixed have premiered at SXSW, Tribeca, NewFest, Lower East Side, Cinequest San Jose, and countless others. Several have been awarded the venerable Vimeo Staff Pick. #PKU #phenylketonuria #phenylalanine #lowpro #lowphe

David Wenzel doesn’t have PKU, but his best friend, Kurt Sensenbrenner, does. When they decided to backpack through Eastern Europe Dave got to know what traveling with a rare disorder looks like. They had to haul a lot of food and formula around but the stories they came back with made it all worth it. More info about the series: This episode is part of an animated-documentary series, called "The Low-Phe Life", about living with PKU—a rare metabolic disorder. PKU or phenylketonuria inhibits a person’s ability to break down protein. People with PKU, like Kurt Sensenbrenner the series’ director, must adhere to a strict low protein diet of fruits and vegetables, and drink a supplemental formula multiple times a day for their entire life to avoid serious neurological and physical side effects. For reference, the average, non-PKU person consumes about 60 grams of protein per day, Kurt can only have seven. Having to maintain such a tight regimen means one little mishap and things can go awry quickly! This series focuses on the times in life when things don’t go according to plan, it embraces the humor that can be found in stressful situations, and sheds light on what it’s like to live with a rare disorder. Do you have PKU or know someone who does? Have a story to submit? https://forms.gle/hpUEjUM9Mhro2rsv8 Sign up for updates to know when the next episode will be released and when the next season will be released! www.lowphelife.com The Crew: Director: Kurt Sensenbrenner (has PKU) Kurt is an award winning documentary media maker who happens to have PKU. His directorial debut "From Mass to the Mountain"–a feature documentary chronicling drought and deforestation in unstable eastern Panama–aired on PBS and continues to screen nationwide on PBS. With over 10 years of video production experience, Kurt spent the last five working as a staff Video Producer where he researched, pitched, directed, produced, shot, and edited nonfiction aviation videos for the AOPA Air Safety Institute, which earns over 13 million views a year. His latest documentary is in post-production and tells the story of two young women fighting to protect rainforest using butterflies as bioindicators to determine the health of their local rainforest. Head Illustrator and Animator: Rory Waudby-Tolley Rory is an animator whose films have played at many festivals around the world and featured on Short of the Week, Cartoon Brew, It’s Nice That and Vimeo Staff Picks. In 2018 he made an award-winning environmental animated documentary about a lake in East Texas - “There’s Something in the Water.” In 2019 he made “New Year,” a BFI NETWORK funded sci-fi comedy short, co-directed by Diana Gradinaru. Composer and Sound Mixer: Brian Flood Brian scored Kurt’s first feature documentary and did the final theatrical mix as well. Since then Kurt has tried to bring him onto every project he’s directing. Brian has worked for a multitude of clients, including New York City Ballet, Refinery29, Google, Viceland, AllianceBernstein, Hyatt, and many others. Films he’s mixed have premiered at SXSW, Tribeca, NewFest, Lower East Side, Cinequest San Jose, and countless others. Several have been awarded the venerable Vimeo Staff Pick. #PKU #phenylketonuria #phenylalanine #lowpro #lowphe

Phoebe, a 16-year-old with PKU, and Nicole, her mother, take us on a family vacation to Costa Rica where some mischievous wildlife get into their formula stash! What did they learn from that sticky situation? More info about the series: This episode is part of an animated documentary series, called "The Low-Phe Life", about living with PKU—a rare metabolic disorder. PKU or phenylketonuria inhibits a person’s ability to break down protein. People with PKU, like Kurt Sensenbrenner the series’ director, must adhere to a strict low protein diet of fruits and vegetables, and drink a supplemental formula multiple times a day for their entire life to avoid serious neurological and physical side effects. For reference, the average, non-PKU person consumes about 60 grams of protein per day, Kurt can only have seven. Having to maintain such a tight regimen means one little mishap and things can go awry quickly! This series focuses on the times in life when things don’t go according to plan, it embraces the humor that can be found in stressful situations, and sheds light on what it’s like to live with a rare disorder. Do you have PKU or know someone who does? Have a story to submit? https://lowphelife.com/pages/submit-your-story Sign up for updates to know when the next episode will be released and when the next season will be released! www.lowphelife.com The Crew: Director: Kurt Sensenbrenner (has PKU) Kurt is an award winning documentary media maker who happens to have PKU. His directorial debut "From Mass to the Mountain"–a feature documentary chronicling drought and deforestation in unstable eastern Panama–aired on PBS and continues to screen nationwide on PBS. With over 10 years of video production experience, Kurt spent the last five working as a staff Video Producer where he researched, pitched, directed, produced, shot, and edited nonfiction aviation videos for the AOPA Air Safety Institute, which earns over 13 million views a year. His latest documentary is in post-production and tells the story of two young women fighting to protect rainforest using butterflies as bioindicators to determine the health of their local rainforest. Head Illustrator and Animator: Rory Waudby-Tolley Rory is an animator whose films have played at many festivals around the world and featured on Short of the Week, Cartoon Brew, It’s Nice That and Vimeo Staff Picks. In 2018 he made an award-winning environmental animated documentary about a lake in East Texas - “There’s Something in the Water.” In 2019 he made “New Year,” a BFI NETWORK funded sci-fi comedy short, co-directed by Diana Gradinaru. Composer and Sound Mixer: Brian Flood Brian scored Kurt’s first feature documentary and did the final theatrical mix as well. Since then Kurt has tried to bring him onto every project he’s directing. Brian has worked for a multitude of clients, including New York City Ballet, Refinery29, Google, Viceland, AllianceBernstein, Hyatt, and many others. Films he’s mixed have premiered at SXSW, Tribeca, NewFest, Lower East Side, Cinequest San Jose, and countless others. Several have been awarded the venerable Vimeo Staff Pick. #PKU #phenylketonuria #phenylalanine #lowpro #lowphe

Renata, a mother of two, recalls a time when getting blood for the monthly phenylalanine test was a battle, literally. Can all you parents/guardians out there relate? More info about the series: This episode is part of an animated documentary series, called "The Low-Phe Life", about living with PKU—a rare metabolic disorder. PKU or phenylketonuria inhibits a person’s ability to break down protein. People with PKU, like Kurt Sensenbrenner the series’ director, must adhere to a strict low protein diet of fruits and vegetables, and drink a supplemental formula multiple times a day for their entire life to avoid serious neurological and physical side effects. For reference, the average, non-PKU person consumes about 60 grams of protein per day, Kurt can only have seven. Having to maintain such a tight regimen means one little mishap and things can go awry quickly! This series focuses on the times in life when things don’t go according to plan, it embraces the humor that can be found in stressful situations, and sheds light on what it’s like to live with a rare disorder. Do you have PKU or know someone who does? Have a story to submit? https://forms.gle/hpUEjUM9Mhro2rsv8 Sign up for updates to know when the next episode will be released and when the next season will be released! www.lowphelife.com The Crew: Director: Kurt Sensenbrenner (has PKU) Kurt is an award winning documentary media maker who happens to have PKU. His directorial debut "From Mass to the Mountain"–a feature documentary chronicling drought and deforestation in unstable eastern Panama–aired on PBS and continues to screen nationwide on PBS. With over 10 years of video production experience, Kurt spent the last five working as a staff Video Producer where he researched, pitched, directed, produced, shot, and edited nonfiction aviation videos for the AOPA Air Safety Institute, which earns over 13 million views a year. His latest documentary is in post-production and tells the story of two young women fighting to protect rainforest using butterflies as bioindicators to determine the health of their local rainforest. Head Illustrator and Animator: Rory Waudby-Tolley Rory is an animator whose films have played at many festivals around the world and featured on Short of the Week, Cartoon Brew, It’s Nice That and Vimeo Staff Picks. In 2018 he made an award-winning environmental animated documentary about a lake in East Texas - “There’s Something in the Water.” In 2019 he made “New Year,” a BFI NETWORK funded sci-fi comedy short, co-directed by Diana Gradinaru. Composer and Sound Mixer: Brian Flood Brian scored Kurt’s first feature documentary and did the final theatrical mix as well. Since then Kurt has tried to bring him onto every project he’s directing. Brian has worked for a multitude of clients, including New York City Ballet, Refinery29, Google, Viceland, AllianceBernstein, Hyatt, and many others. Films he’s mixed have premiered at SXSW, Tribeca, NewFest, Lower East Side, Cinequest San Jose, and countless others. Several have been awarded the venerable Vimeo Staff Pick. #PKU #phenylketonuria #phenylalanine #lowpro #lowphe

Lauren, an adult with PKU, had the ability to taste foods that are high in phe at an early age, a talent she still relies on today. Watch what happens when her talent is called into question. Do some foods taste like they have too much protein to you? More info about the series: This episode is part of an animated documentary series, called "The Low-Phe Life", about living with PKU—a rare metabolic disorder. PKU or phenylketonuria inhibits a person’s ability to break down protein. People with PKU, like Kurt Sensenbrenner the series’ director, must adhere to a strict low protein diet of fruits and vegetables, and drink a supplemental formula multiple times a day for their entire life to avoid serious neurological and physical side effects. For reference, the average, non-PKU person consumes about 60 grams of protein per day, Kurt can only have seven. Having to maintain such a tight regimen means one little mishap and things can go awry quickly! This series focuses on the times in life when things don’t go according to plan, it embraces the humor that can be found in stressful situations, and sheds light on what it’s like to live with a rare disorder. Do you have PKU or know someone who does? Have a story to submit? https://lowphelife.com/pages/submit-your-story Sign up for updates to know when the next episode will be released and when the next season will be released! www.lowphelife.com The Crew: Director: Kurt Sensenbrenner (has PKU) Kurt is an award winning documentary media maker who happens to have PKU. His directorial debut "From Mass to the Mountain"–a feature documentary chronicling drought and deforestation in unstable eastern Panama–aired on PBS and continues to screen nationwide on PBS. With over 10 years of video production experience, Kurt spent the last five working as a staff Video Producer where he researched, pitched, directed, produced, shot, and edited nonfiction aviation videos for the AOPA Air Safety Institute, which earns over 13 million views a year. His latest documentary is in post-production and tells the story of two young women fighting to protect rainforest using butterflies as bioindicators to determine the health of their local rainforest. Head Illustrator and Animator: Rory Waudby-Tolley Rory is an animator whose films have played at many festivals around the world and featured on Short of the Week, Cartoon Brew, It’s Nice That and Vimeo Staff Picks. In 2018 he made an award-winning environmental animated documentary about a lake in East Texas - “There’s Something in the Water.” In 2019 he made “New Year,” a BFI NETWORK funded sci-fi comedy short, co-directed by Diana Gradinaru. Composer and Sound Mixer: Brian Flood Brian scored Kurt’s first feature documentary and did the final theatrical mix as well. Since then Kurt has tried to bring him onto every project he’s directing. Brian has worked for a multitude of clients, including New York City Ballet, Refinery29, Google, Viceland, AllianceBernstein, Hyatt, and many others. Films he’s mixed have premiered at SXSW, Tribeca, NewFest, Lower East Side, Cinequest San Jose, and countless others. Several have been awarded the venerable Vimeo Staff Pick. #PKU #phenylketonuria #phenylalanine #lowpro #lowphe

Lillian finds herself faced with an awkward question that will only lead to a longer, more awkward explanation, at a work party, and of course the person posing the painful hypothetical is a known celebrity. More info about the series: This episode is part of an animated documentary series, called "The Low-Phe Life", about living with PKU—a rare metabolic disorder. PKU or phenylketonuria inhibits a person’s ability to break down protein. People with PKU, like Kurt Sensenbrenner the series’ director, must adhere to a strict low protein diet of fruits and vegetables, and drink a supplemental formula multiple times a day for their entire life to avoid serious neurological and physical side effects. For reference, the average, non-PKU person consumes about 60 grams of protein per day, Kurt can only have seven. Having to maintain such a tight regimen means one little mishap and things can go awry quickly! This series focuses on the times in life when things don’t go according to plan, it embraces the humor that can be found in stressful situations, and sheds light on what it’s like to live with a rare disorder. Do you have PKU or know someone who does? Have a story to submit? https://forms.gle/hpUEjUM9Mhro2rsv8 Sign up for updates to know when the next episode will be released and when the next season will be released! www.lowphelife.com The Crew: Director: Kurt Sensenbrenner (has PKU) Kurt is an award winning documentary media maker who happens to have PKU. His directorial debut "From Mass to the Mountain"–a feature documentary chronicling drought and deforestation in unstable eastern Panama–aired on PBS and continues to screen nationwide on PBS. With over 10 years of video production experience, Kurt spent the last five working as a staff Video Producer where he researched, pitched, directed, produced, shot, and edited nonfiction aviation videos for the AOPA Air Safety Institute, which earns over 13 million views a year. His latest documentary is in post-production and tells the story of two young women fighting to protect rainforest using butterflies as bioindicators to determine the health of their local rainforest. Head Illustrator and Animator: Rory Waudby-Tolley Rory is an animator whose films have played at many festivals around the world and featured on Short of the Week, Cartoon Brew, It’s Nice That and Vimeo Staff Picks. In 2018 he made an award-winning environmental animated documentary about a lake in East Texas - “There’s Something in the Water.” In 2019 he made “New Year,” a BFI NETWORK funded sci-fi comedy short, co-directed by Diana Gradinaru. Composer and Sound Mixer: Brian Flood Brian scored Kurt’s first feature documentary and did the final theatrical mix as well. Since then Kurt has tried to bring him onto every project he’s directing. Brian has worked for a multitude of clients, including New York City Ballet, Refinery29, Google, Viceland, AllianceBernstein, Hyatt, and many others. Films he’s mixed have premiered at SXSW, Tribeca, NewFest, Lower East Side, Cinequest San Jose, and countless others. Several have been awarded the venerable Vimeo Staff Pick. #PKU #phenylketonuria #phenylalanine #lowpro #lowphe