Join us for this monthly expert series where we dive into what a genetic counselor is, what they do, how they can help you in your diagnostic journey, and some mito genetics 101.

The annual mito town meeting is our way of kicking off the new year by sharing all that we have in store for the next 12 months! We will hear from organizations and companies around the globe that have special opportunities, programs and projects for patients and families affected by mitochondrial disease.

The only thing universal about grief is that it’s universal, something we’ll all experience at some point in our lives. It’s messy, hard, non-linear, and while it may change, grief is never ending. The complexities of being a parent, caregiver, or patient in the mitochondrial disease community adds many layers that impact the grieving process. Join us as chaplain and author Becky Sansbury leads us in a discussion with Jessica Fein and Adam Johnson, about the different kinds of grief we experience throughout the mito journey.

Join Dr. Jordan Kemere as she discusses different components of healthcare transition including finding adult physicians, insurance changes, and transitioning to adult life. She will offer practical tips to parents and caregivers to start working on transition even at a young age.

There are so many misunderstandings and misconceptions of genetic testing. Dave will attempt to clarify these issues, and provide tools to empower patients to participate in their care from a financial perspective. His objective will be to provide a clear and concise breakdown of appropriate testing for Mito families seeking a diagnosis, while keeping their out of pocket costs as low as possible.

The underlying cause of LCHADD retinopathy is not fully understood. This presentation will look at the research that identifies the cell in the eye that is initially affected and characteristics associated with vision loss. Join Dr. Gillingham as she discusses early data on the natural history study and some new pre-clinical models to test novel treatments for LCHADD retinopathy.

Cardiac complications were often identified in symptomatic infants and children before newborn screening. Cardiac dysfunction can re-emerge or present for the first time during metabolic crisis at any age. This presentation with Dr. Melanie Gillingham will discuss the cardiac presentation in adolescent/young adults with LCHADD and discuss current efforts to better understand this late complication of LCHADD.

There was much discussion about current research in FAODs at our recent International Metabolic conference last month. Reneo Pharmaceuticals recently released positive results from the REN001 Phase1b LC-FAOD Study.

Mitochondrial Medicine at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) is emerging as the premiere center in the world for multidisciplinary clinical care, advanced diagnostics and therapies, and individualized basic, translational, and clinical research programs dedicated to improving the health of patients of all ages living with mitochondrial disease. The program is part of the Division of Human Genetics. The Frontier Programs are unique, cutting-edge programs that will forge important new discoveries, deliver novel therapies, and help children and adults thrive. Please join us for an informational session to guide your visit and care through the CHOP Mitochondrial Medicine Program. Dr. Amy Goldstein, the Clinical Director, and Genetic Counselor James Peterson will answer your questions.

Join MitoAction and Dr. Mark Tarnopolosky to discuss: What exercises are good for mitochondrial disease and how do we exercise safely?Are there any diets or dietary concerns for patients with mitochondrial disease?What is the current status of the mitochondrial cocktail?

Dr. Marcus Favero speaking on Psychiatric Disorders, Medications & Mitochondrial Disease Depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disease, and other psychiatric diseases - what is the connection for patients with mitochondrial disease?

Talking points include: -What does the medical literature say regarding the uses of nutritional therapies in the autism and related neurodevelopmental disorders? -What about the uses of nutritional therapies in functional disease such as pain, fatigue, GI dysmotility, dysautonomia, anxiety, and depression? -What exactly is Spectrum Needs, and how can it be used as nutritional support for the above conditions? -Spectrum Needs beyond the spectrum: What about the use of this product in the average "mito" patient? -How to integrate SpectrumNeeds into a complicated supplement regiment?   About The Speaker:   Richard G. Boles, MD Dr. Richard G. Boles completed medical school at UCLA, a pediatric residency at Harbor-UCLA, and a genetics fellowship at Yale. For over two decades, Dr. Boles' clinical and research focus has been on changes in genes involved in energy metabolism, and more recently ion channels, and their effects on the development of common functional disorders. Examples include autism, pain syndromes, chronic fatigue, cyclic vomiting, intestinal dysmotility/failure, and depression. Dr. Boles practices the "bedside to bench to bedside" model of a physician-scientist, combining an active clinical practice with basic research into the underlying genetic predispositions leading to the same conditions. He has over 80 published papers, mostly in mitochondrial medicine. For 20 years, Dr. Boles was a faculty member at the Keck School of Medicine at USC and a practicing medical geneticist and metabolic specialist at Children's Hospital Los Angeles. He was a Medical Director of Lineagen and Courtagen, which are/were genetic testing companies. Dr. Boles became involved in genetic testing in order to facilitate the translation of the vast amounts of acquired genetic knowledge into applications that improve routine medical care. Dr. Boles has an active private practice in Pasadena and Aliso Viejo, CA. About half of the patients he currently sees as a physician have one of more functional conditions, especially cyclic vomiting syndrome, other forms of complex migraine, and/or chronic fatigue syndrome. Most of the other half have an autistic spectrum disorder or related condition. His clinical practice is devoted to using information, including genetic testing, to guide options for therapy. His care philosophy, practice, and types of patients he accepts are discussed at http://molecularmitomd.com. A telemedicine practice has just started at https://cnnh.org. Dr. Boles also does legal consulting, especially for those with multiple functional conditions that others are considering fictitious disorder/Munchausen-by-proxy/medical child abuse. Finally, he is the primary designer of SpectrumNeedsTM, a nutritional product with 33 active ingredients designed for individuals with autism or other neurodevelopmental disorders, with an emphasis on assisting mitochondrial function (https://www.neuroneeds.com).

Join Amanda Balog, CGC, Senior Genetic Counselor, Mitochondrial and Metabolic Genetics, of GeneDx as she discusses: "What You Should Know About Genetic Testing for Mitochondrial Disorders." Talking points include: Many genetic testing options for Mito patients are available and no one test is right for every individual patient.Sample type matters when testing for mitochondrial disorders.Detailed clinical information and family member testing is important for the interpretation of genetic testing. About The Speaker Amanda Balog is a board-certified genetic counselor and is the lead genetic counselor for the Mitochondrial and Metabolic Testing Programs at GeneDx. Prior to joining GeneDx, Amanda worked for several years as a clinical and research genetic counselor specializing in immune and lysosomal storage disorders.

Join us with Dr. Richard Boles as we learn more about how to interpret genetic test results. The landscape today for a mitochondrial disease diagnosis is rapidly changing and now includes some genetic testing for most patients. However, many families are confused even further by the results. What is an VUS? What do the specific mutations mean? What does 30% depletion mean? Learn the nuts and bolts of interpreting today's genetic tests from Dr. Boles in this informative discussion. About the Speaker Dr. Boles completed medical school at UCLA, a pediatric residency at Harbor-UCLA, and a genetics fellowship at Yale. He is board certified in Pediatrics, Clinical Genetics and Clinical Biochemical Genetics. His current positions include Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the Keck School of Medicine at USC, attending physician in Medical Genetics and General Pediatrics at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles, and Medical Director of Courtagen Life Sciences. Dr. Boles practices the "bedside to bench to bedside" model of a physician-scientist, combining an active clinical practice in metabolic and mitochondrial disorders with clinical diagnostics and basic research through Courtagen. Dr. Boles' clinical and research focus is on polymorphisms (common genetic changes) in the DNA that encodes for mitochondrial genes, and their effects on the development of common functional disorders. Examples include migraine, depression, cyclic vomiting syndrome, complex regional pain syndrome, autism and SIDS.

Meet Andrew Mele

Join in to listen to RN, Julie Gortze.

Organizations share what they have planned for the next 12 months. The annual town meeting is our way of kicking off the new year by sharing all that is planned for the next 12 months. We'll hear from organizations and companies around the globe that have special opportunities, programs, and projects for patients and families with mitochondrial disease. We'll hear from the following organizations, among many others! MitoActionMitochondrial Medicine SocietyFoundation for Mitochondrial MedicineBioElectronStealth BioTherapeuticsOley FoundationGeneDxMiracles for MitoUMDFMitoBridgeUltragenyxReata PharmaceuticalsVMP GeneticsLineagen Mitochondrial & Molecular MedicineNorth American Mitochondrial Disease ConsortiumAustralian Mitochondrial Disease FoundationThriveRx

Please join MitoAction as we welcome Annette Hines, Esq., founding partner of the Special Needs Law Group of Massachusetts. Ms. Hines will be speaking on the basics of estate planning and special needs trusts laws in the U.S. Questions to be answered include: What is estate planning?Why should you create a plan for your estate?What does a will do?What is probate, and which assets go through it?What is a trust?What documents are required for incapacity planning?What is a special needs trust, and why would you need one? About the Speaker Ms. Hines has been practicing in the areas of Special Needs, Elder Law and Estate Planning for over fifteen years. She received her JD from Howard University School of Law, her MBA from Suffolk University and her BA from the University of Vermont. Her clients include individuals and families of children with special needs, the elderly and others in the community. Ms. Hines is the mother of two daughters, one of whom passed away from mitochondrial disease in November of 2013.  Her personal experience as the mother of a child with special needs fuels her passion for quality special needs planning and drives her special understanding and dedication to her practice. Prior to practicing law, she founded and directed the nonprofit home care company, Special Families-Special Care, Incorporated which created a new standard for caregiving and a greater pay scale for caregivers. After leading the company to $1.5 million in revenue and 50 employees, she merged it with Shriver Clinical Services Corporation of Natick, Massachusetts and shifted her focus to her law practice. In addition to her membership in the Massachusetts Bar Association, she is a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA), the National Academy of Special Needs Planners (ASNP) and the Massachusetts Association of Women Lawyers (MAWL), serving most recently as President. Recognized as a Distinguished Citizen by ARC Massachusetts and cited for public service by both the Massachusetts State Senate and House of Representatives, Ms. Hines works tirelessly on behalf of people with disabilities. Ms. Hines served as President of the Massachusetts Association of Women Lawyers for 2008-2009 and serves on the Board of Directors for a number of local non-profit organizations.

What is the historical use of marijuana for medical purposes?Are there legalities associated with medical marijuana use?When is medical cannabis a potential therapeutic option for patients with mitochondrial disease?Are there guidelines on dosing and use?Is it true that medical cannabis is for pain and seizures only?Is marijuana addictive, even when used for medical purposes?Have there ever been safety studies published about use of marijuana for medical purposes? Join us  with Dr. Fran Kendall to get the answers to these questions and more regarding the use of medical marijuana (cannabis oil) for treatment in mitochondrial disease patients. Georgia just signed into law the use of cannabis oil for a number of diseases, including mitochondrial disease. Several Mito families in Georgia advocated on behalf of this legislation. While 35 other states have passed similar legislation, Georgia is the first state to include mitochondrial disease in the list of disorders to be treated. Dr. Kendall will touch on historical perspective, mechanisms of action, dosing, safety and outcome data. About the Speaker Dr. Kendall trained and served on the staff at Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School for a number of years. She was the previous 50% owner of a successful genetic laboratory/healthcare provider (Horizon Molecular Medicine), and has extensive experience in the diagnosis and management of children with a wide array of metabolic disorders. She brings this vast experience to her private practice, VMP, LCC, as president and founder. Dr. Kendall is a well respected pediatrician as well as biochemical geneticist, and she has authored numerous research articles on rare diseases ranging from Nieman Pick Type C and mitochondrial disease. As one of the few clinical mitochondrial disease experts, she has a long-term interest in research and clinical aspects of rare metabolic diseases.

We had a wonderful Awareness Rally on Friday, Sept. 5, featuring people who are doing amazing things to raise awareness about mitochondrial disease. Each speaker brought great ideas to the table and truly demonstrated the diverse ways we can raise awareness in our communities. We want you to get excited and inspired about raising awareness. Below, you will find some helpful links and ideas from our speakers. Let's take action to improve the lives of patients and families with mitochondrial disease! Kristi Wees' blog, Baby Food Steps (and her Mito Minutes) Kristi's California Pizza Kitchen fundraiser Sept. 15-18 in Pittsburgh Request a CPK fundraiser night Christine Knox's Mito Quilts of Hope website Facebook page for Mito Quilts of Hope Christine's Story on Indiegogo campaign Facebook page for Cream Mito Cooper's Race: A MitoAction Energy Walk & 5K Race in Kingsport, TN Mito Mad Hatter 5K Here's an easy way to make Mito cookies! Cut out sugar cookies using a jelly bean shaped cutter, then decorate with frosting and round sprinkles. Put some in baggies with an information card about Mito and hand them out to your school class, at work, at parties! Thanks, Nicole and Natalie Dion, for the great idea! Cooper Open and Cooper Open Scholarship in Greenland, NH Kelley and Alyssa Curley, along with the rest of their family, make and sell these rainbow loom bracelets for Team Lissy Loo for the MtioAction Energy Walk & 5K. So far they've sold over 700 and made $700 for Team Lissy Loo! For more on Team Lissy Loo, click here. Jeantine Lunshof was recently diagnosed with Mito and takes every opportunity to educate her Harverd colleagues. Her team for the MitoAction Energy Walk & 5K is Running Genes. Ethan Allen, captain of Mito Warrior's Platoon, has been collecting bottles and cans for his MitoAction Energy Walk & 5K team. He also holds information booths, has been in the media, and recently participated in the Fonda Fair Convoy for a Cause. For more on his story, click here.   Tell your story to legislators; fight to pass bills; be vocal! Mito Support of New England meeting feature Rep. Paul Heroux, who is trying to pass a bill to form a Rare Disease Advisory Council in Massachusetts House Bill 977 would mandate coverage of the Mito Cocktail for all mitochondrial disea