For details of Great North Run sponsorship visit our events page
Our Mission
The Lily Foundation is committed to finding a cure for Mitochondrial Disease and other metabolic disorders through funding research and providing support to those involved and affected by metabolic disorders.
Lily Merritt
Lily Anna Merritt was a beautiful little girl and despite being given days to live she graced this world with 8 months of life. Lily had a fatal metabolic disorder, a mitochondrial disease. Lily was a happy little girl, who treasured every moment and for someone so small Lily had an enormous amount of courage and determination.
The Lily Foundation has been built on Lily’s strength and inspired by her fighting spirit. Our vision is to change the future and find a cure for Mitochondrial Disease and other metabolic disorders
Mitochondria and Mitochondrial Disease
Mitochondria are the “powerhouse” within each human cell. They are responsible for converting the energy in food into energy that can be used by the body.
Without mitochondria, cells are unable to generate enough energy to sustain normal organ function and sometimes even life.
Mitochondrial dysfunction can also be a factor in diseases as diverse as cancer, diabetes, heart, liver and kidney disease and strokes as well as age-related diseases such as Parkinsons and Alzheimers.
The incidence of metabolic disorders is estimated to be 1 in 1000 births - this equates to about 800 new cases per year.