Mito in a nutshell
Our cells contain tiny structures called mitochondria, often described as the ‘batteries’ of our cells because they create the energy our bodies need to function.
In people with mitochondrial disease, those batteries don’t work properly. The resulting energy shortage can affect almost any part of the body, and the effects vary widely from person to person. There’s currently no cure.
Why mito is so hard to spot
Mito is complex and difficult to diagnose, partly because its symptoms can look like those of other serious illnesses. It can affect the brain, heart, muscles and gut, among other organs, and can cause problems as varied as seizures, fatigue and vision or hearing loss.
There are many different inherited mitochondrial conditions, including MELAS syndrome, Leigh syndrome and Leber’s disease (LHON). You can see the different types of mitochondrial syndromes over on the patient side of our website.
What The Lily Foundation are doing
There’s no cure yet, but we’re working hard to change that. Diagnosis is becoming faster, easier and less invasive for patients, and promising research into treatments is underway. Every step forward in understanding genetic mitochondrial dysfunction brings us closer to a cure.