Local Family Raising Awareness For Mitochondrial Disease

Now for a follow-up on local girl Baylee Thompson and her families effort to raise funds for a cure.

14 year old Baylee suffers from Mitochondrial, which causes energy creating cells to fail. Jody Thompson, Baylee’s mother, says an entire month is now being designated to raising awareness of the disease.

"It’s usually the 3rd week of September was designated a Mito Awareness Week and that happened in 30 odd states or so now that honor that, but we had a family that lost their child, Carenna back in December, the Strasser Family which lives in Greenville, Ohio. They went to Ohio legislation and got it passed that September be Mitochondrial Awareness Month here in Ohio, and it passed."

Thompson says it’s important to educate yourself to assist in raising awareness. Thompson says that goes hand-in-hand with funding a cure.

"The only way you’re going to give a dollar to fund research is to know about it. If you don’t know anything about it, why do I want to give my hard earned money? That’s what I promote constantly. You know, the awareness needs to happen first and then after that, hopefully the dollars will crew. We’ve been fortunate in that regard."

To learn more about Mitochondrial disease, you can go to the website: www.umdf.org

Or on their Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Betonbay