About three months ago CSP introduced you to an amazing family and an incredible boy named Alex. Please take a moment to “meet” Alex, his family and his best friend Camden. Alex is one of several people in the Charlotte area suffering from Mitochondrial Disease and we are asking the Smarty Community to come together to show your support for Alex and raise awareness of Mitochondrial Disease. Supporting this event is literally a “walk in the park” – The Energy for Life Walkathon at Freedom Park. I promise you, there is not an event that is easier to support.
1. Show up at Freedom Park and walk 1 mile, 3K or 5K. There is no fee to participate.
2. If you can’t make it, simply join Team Alex as a virtual walker.
3. Make a monetary contribution (no amount is too small) to Team Alex.
Energy for Life Walkathon – Charlotte
Saturday, October 12, 2013
1- mile walk, 3k or 5k routes
Freedom Park
1900 East Blvd
Charlotte, NC 28203
For more information about the walkathon click here.
Mitochondrial Disease is complicated. There isn’t an easy explanation but here are a few facts from the United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation website that will provide you with a basic understanding of the disease.
What is Mitochondrial Disease?
Mitochondria exist in nearly every cell of the human body, producing 90 percent of the energy the body needs to function. In a person with mitochondrial disease, the mitochondria are failing and cannot convert food and oxygen into life-sustaining energy.
How does Mitochondrial Disease affect the body?
The parts of the body that need the most energy, such as the heart, brain, muscles and lungs, are the most affected by mitochondrial disease. The affected individual may have strokes, seizures, gastro-intestinal problems, (reflux, severe vomiting, constipation, diarrhea), swallowing difficulties, failure to thrive, blindness, deafness, heart and kidney problems, muscle failure, heat/cold intolerance, diabetes, lactic acidosis, immune system problems and liver disease.
How many individuals are affected?
Every 30 minutes, a child is born who will develop a mitochondrial disease by age 10. Each year, 1,000 to 4,000 children in the United states are born with a mitochondrial disease. While exact numbers of children and adults suffering from mitochondrial disease are hard to determine because so many people who suffer from mitochondrial disease are frequently misdiagnosed, we now know the disease is approaching the frequency of childhood cancers. Many are misdiagnosed with atypical cerebral palsy, various seizure disorders, childhood diseases and diseases of aging. Still others aren’t diagnosed until after death.
