A Fragile Heritage

Wesley and Sheryl were stunned. Had the doctor really said their daughter was sick because they were Mennonites? The diagnosis of MSUD (maple syrup urine disease) changed everything for the Leinbach family. Wesley and Sheryl faced endless questions. Should they risk having more children? Should they pursue a liver transplant for Louisa?

Combining one family’s story with research on genetic disease, A Fragile Heritage traces the strands of heritage, faith, and mutation through generations and addresses questions about genetic mutations resulting from the overlapping ancestry of many Mennonites and Amish today.