Muskingum County Recognizes World Mitochondrial Disease Week

ZANESVILLE, OH – This week is World Mitochondrial Disease week.

Mitochondrial Disease is a defect in the mitochondria, which is responsible for making and providing up to 90% of the body’s life sustaining energy.

Some of the symptoms of mitochondrial disease are seizures, strokes, developmental delays and vision or hearing loss.

Jody Thompson is a United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation Ambassador as well as the mom of Baylee, who was diagnosed with Mitochondrial Disease when she was 9 months old.

Thompson said she was fortunate to have found out Baylee’s diagnosis at an early age, but it hasn’t come without its challenges.

“We’ve had a long time to figure this out, not all the way but we’ve figured it out and have had a longer road than most,” Thompson said. “Baylee at 24, is non-verbal, fully dependent, cannot walk or talk, but people that know her, she has a personality that’s bigger than this room and she demands attention. She is loved by so many people and that shows in the events we’ve had through the years.”

Thompson said through the fundraising events like Bet on Baylee, they were able to donate over $100,000 to the UMDF to help find a cure for this disease.

She said her goal is no longer to fundraise, but to continue advocating for others going through this same battle.

“As I stipulate now, at 24, if they would call me today and say ‘Jody, a cure has been found.’, which would be the best thing ever, the most blessed thing we’d ever hear. Baylee’s secondary issues, they’ll never be gone,” Thompson said. “She’ll never walk, she’ll never talk, so what we fight for, we can’t be selfish in this regard, is for the next generation and that’s what I’ll continue to fight for with every bated breath that I have.”

In honor of World Mitochondrial Disease week, the Muskingum County Courthouse will be going green starting at 7PM Tuesday.

If you’re interested in finding out more information on mitochondrial disease, you can head to umdf.org or call 740-704-2994.