Brody's Mito Mission

Brody's

Mito Mission

Based in Stockport, Greater Manchester

I’m Brody, and live in Stockport with my loving family.

Please take a little time to read Brody’s story below and find out how mitochondrial disease has affected him right from birth.

Read

Brody's

Story.

Brody’s mum, Donna,
tells the family’s journey with mito:

My partner Ben, son Declan and me were thrilled to be welcoming a new addition to our family back in 2021.

Brody arrived as expected in July … and for a heart-wrenching time, he wasn’t breathing. Once he was, it sounded really ‘rattly’. High lactate levels indicated heart issues and that something was underlying. A brain MRI found cysts then at 6 weeks old, genetic testing confirmed mitochondrial disease.

Two genes are involved – MT-TW and MT-ATP6. It’s a very rare form of mito that specialists confirmed is a type of Leigh Syndrome. We’ve also learned that it is maternally inherited.

That means that I’m affected too

- but much more mildly than Brody.

I work for the NHS in admin support for Stepping Hill Cardiology department, so that helped with some of the medical terms. But it’s still difficult to take all the information in – especially on top of the emotional turmoil of it being about our much-loved, baby boy. Like so many people, we’d never heard of mitochondrial disease, other than it featuring on Coronation Street.

Brody’s heart problems are currently well-managed by medication but overall, his symptoms impact on him a great deal. Significant choking problems led to tube feeding and he has severe development delays. Brody’s smiles when he was 4 months old just melted our hearts.

Sadly, seizures which began at 5 months

left Brody unable to smile, or cry.

He’s barely able to open his eyes now too, making it hard to gauge how he’s feeling.

It’s obviously incredibly difficult to see our beautiful Brody so poorly, but we pull together as a loving family to get through. Declan, now 13, is the most wonderful big brother and completely dotes on Brody just as Ben and I do.

Thanks for reading my story.

Brody and family

June 2022

Our mission is to raise more awareness

about mito by sharing our story.

I’m a member of Affinity Choir, Stockport who are already planning to support Brody’s Mission which is heart-warming.

People’s kindness, support and understanding can make such a difference.

We also hope to connect with other families

living with the same, or a similar, variant.

It helps to feel a part of a group of people, and not so alone.

Raising awareness along with others helps us feel a part of increasing hopes of treatments and a cure being found.

Get involved and

support Brody's cause.

Whether you support Brody’s mission, any other single mission or My Mito Mission as a whole – it’s all the same great cause.

Spreading the word, following, sharing, as well as donating and raising funds are all really helpful and valued. From running a race to hosting a bake sale, giving out Brody’s Mito Mission leaflets to finding a home for a collecting can – there are so many ways in which you can get involved.