We help Families affected by Mitochondrial Disease at Christmastime. Applicants wishing to receive gifts can apply from August 15 thru October 15. We also collect information from generous sponsors who are willing to gift recipient families. Typically we take applications for sponsorship through November 1. We then match recepients with sponsors before Thanksgiving. Then the sponsor is free to shop for gifts for their recepient family. We ask that gifts are sent the first week of December to ensure delivery by Christmas. All information is confidential as some sponsors wish to remain anonymous. We do not receive or exchange money in this group. We are in the process of being approved for our non profit status. Then we will be able to do more for our families!
ABOUT MITOCHONDRIAL DISEASE
Mitochondrial diseases result from failures of the mitochondria, specialized compartments present in every cell of the body except red blood cells. Mitochondria are responsible for creating more than 90% of the energy needed by the body to sustain life and support growth. When they fail, less and less energy is generated within the cell. Cell injury and even cell death follow. If this process is repeated throughout the body, whole systems begin to fail, and the life of the person in whom this is happening is severely compromised. The disease primarily affects children, but adult onset is becoming more and more common.
Diseases of the mitochondria appear to cause the most damage to cells of the brain, heart, liver, skeletal muscles, kidney and the endocrine and respiratory systems. Depending on which cells are affected, symptoms may include loss of motor control, muscle weakness and pain, gastro-intestinal disorders and swallowing difficulties, poor growth, cardiac disease, liver disease, diabetes, respiratory complications, seizures, visual/hearing problems, lactic acidosis, developmental delays susceptibility to infection and more. FACTS ABOUT MITOCHONDRIAL DISEASE
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Mito Sites
The Mito Life - Living Life As Zebras & Butterflies is an Awareness page about Mitochondrial Disease & raises funds for Mito charities
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