World Mitochondrial Disease Week 2023

The Newcastle Mito Team are excited to join the global community to raise the profile of mitochondrial and rare disease during World Mitochondrial Disease Week. Are you mito aware? Read on to find out more.

The Newcastle Mito Team at the first Wellcome Centre for Mitochondrial Research Away Day on Rare Disease Day, 2023.

The Wellcome Centre for Mitochondrial Research is made up of a multidisciplinary team who provide care, advice and support to over 1,000 patients across the UK and drive the patient-focussed approach to our basic, clinical and translational research that aims to transform the lives of those living with mitochondrial disease and dysfunction. Our commitment includes increasing awareness of mitochondrial disease for the benefit of the entire mitochondrial community as part of an innovative engagement and communication campaign called #ProjectPearl. So during World Mitochondrial Disease Week, we want your help to spread mitochondrial awareness across the globe!

Please see some key mito facts below and find out more about how you can help us raise the profile of mitochondrial disease and the importance of mitochondrial research.

Key mito facts – please share with your family, friends and colleagues!

Mito (mitochondrial disease) is a genetic disorder that affects all age groups and can be extremely severe.

Mito is more common than you think, with 1 in 200 people carrying a faulty mitochondrial gene.

Mito causes a wide range of devastating and highly debilitating symptoms that can affect any part of the body, including deafness, blindness, diabetes, heart failure, epilepsy, weakness and stroke-like episodes.

Mito research is vital for the development of life-changing treatments or curative therapies.

Mito research is also crucial for understanding other conditions like Parkinson’s, dementia, strokes and cancer due to the important role of the mitochondria within the body.

How can you help?

Join us in a green t-shirt and help raise awareness at the Town Moor parkrun charity takeover in Newcastle upon Tyne from 9am on Saturday 23rd September (for more information, click here).

Join us for the first ever mito tennis event taking place from 1pm on Saturday 23rd September in Whitley Bay, which includes a team rally challenge aiming to reach a target of 16,569 shots! For more details & to register, click here.

Get involved in our social media ‘Takeover Two-day’ on 19th & 20th September 2023 & join 18 patient organisations across the globe to help share key messages & raise awareness of mitochondrial & rare disease. Follow @MitoResearch on Facebook, Twitter/X, Instagram and LinkedIn to find out more!

The global organisations helping raise awareness of mitochondrial and rare disease through our ‘Takeover Two-day’.

Thank you for coming together to help raise awareness of mitochondrial and rare disease for the benefit of the entire community. We are definitely stronger together.