A broken foot stopped Liv last year, but she's back to try again... and this time there's two of 'em!

The team at The Lily Foundation are fantastic. They are incredibly passionate and hard working. They really make a difference to those affected by mitochondrial disease. We are running the London Marathon to raise awareness of mitochondrial disease and to raise money to support the Lily Foundation's great work.

Mitochondria are tiny organelles that are present in almost all the cells that make up your body. They act like batteries, producing energy to enable your cells to function. Mitochondrial disease occurs when someone’s mitochondria do not work properly. Mitochondrial disease is complex and very variable. Each individual may have different symptoms and severity of the condition. 

Mitochondrial disease affects adults and children, but due to the underlying genetic cause, children are usually more severely affected and the disease is often life limiting. 

Whilst some adults may be severely affected, in others, the accumulation of symptoms over time may be masked by normal aging. 

Typically, many organ systems are affected, and organs with high energy requirements, such as the brain, heart, liver, nerves and muscles are often more severely affected. Symptoms tend to progress with time. 

In children, mitochondrial disease can lead to failure to thrive, motor regression, altered mental state, seizures, and swallowing and breathing problems. Many do not reach adulthood. Adults are more likely to experience hearing loss, muscle weakness, diabetes and fatigue, although episodes of altered mental state, epilepsy, dementia and a myriad of other symptoms are also possible. 

Treatments to alleviate some of the symptoms are available, but there is currently no cure for mitochondrial disease.

The Lily Foundation has three aims:

1. To fund research to improve diagnosis and increase treatment options, and ultimately find a cure.

2. To raise much needed awareness of these conditions both in the general population and the medical community.

3. To support families affected by this condition.

Every twenty minutes a child is born who will develop Mitochondrial Disease by the age of 16. There is no cure for this disease which is for many debilitating and life limiting.

Please visit The Lily Foundation website to learn more:

www.thelilyfoundation.org.uk

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