New movie shares inspiring story of Cook County girl with rare genetic condition

COOK COUNTY - A suburban filmmaker didn’t have to look far for her latest project.

With the help of the University of Chicago, she is sharing the story of her daughter, born with a condition so rare, fewer than 400 people in the world have it.

Twelve-year-old Rhonda-Rene Parker of Evergreen Park is literally one in a million. Her condition is caused by a mutation of the FOXP1 gene.

"My husband and I just both pressed for answers until we found them through genetics testing," said Claudia Parker, the girl's mother, in a the new film "Rarely Have You Seen a Fox Like This."

Parker sat down with FOX 32’s Natalie Bomke.

"It’s uncomfortable to see that she's experiencing all those things and people don't understand, they don't, but if you put a name to it, you put some research behind it, you get exposure to it," said Parker, who’s hoping the film will shed light on the condition and help medical providers and educators become familiar with it.

FOXP1 syndrome causes a dozen impairments, including sensory disorder, language impairment, defiance and delay. Rhonda-Rene functions as if she were a three-year-old child.

"She needs to run, jump, bang, swing, swim … We have a swing in our backyard. We have a trampoline in our basement. If she doesn't get this movement, it doesn't regulate her brain, and she can't focus," said Parker.

Parker produced a film about her family and her daughter after enrolling in the University of Chicago’s Production Institute. She hopes it will inspire other families, facing adversity, to know they are not alone.

The film will debut on October 1 at 3 p.m. at the Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts at 915 E. 60th Street in Chicago. The event is free and open to the public.