"It's easy to feel powerless
in the face of mito.
But not always easy to do anything about it. We wanted to empower everyone affected by mitochondrial disease to do something.
Something to help them tell their own story to increase awareness, funds for research and hopes of a cure. Something their family, friends and community could really grasp, take to heart and rally around.
My Mito Mission was born."
Christine Beal, Co Founder and Chair
The founders and trustees of My Mito Mission are the family and friends of Emma Beal from West Yorkshire, UK. Emma became ill when she was 21 back in 2010 with no known history of mitochondrial disease in her family.
See more on Emma’s story here.
When we decided to help raise awareness and find a cure, we felt that having a personal mission centred on Emma to which family and friends could really relate, would be by far the most effective. We also wanted to make it easy for anyone else with mito to do likewise.
So in August 2017, My Mito Mission was born and preparations made to launch our first mission – Emma’s Mito Mission – in the Autumn.
Tragically, Emma unexpectedly died of heart failure caused by mitochondrial disease in the September that year. With very heavy hearts, but knowing it would be what Emma would want, we launched her mission at her funeral. We like to think of Emma as our CAO (Chief Angelic Officer) and are thrilled at what we we’ve achieved so far … have a look for yourself!
September 2017
First £5,000 raised, enabling us to apply for official charity registration
October 2017
First sponsored event takes place – a run by Emma’s best friend Rachel O’Connor
January 2018
Charity registration achieved with Charity Commission of England & Wales no.1176616
July 2018
First fundraising goal to raise £30,000 by what would have been Emma’s 30th birthday in December 2018 … smashed
September 2018
First large organised event ‘The Big Push’ for Mito raises over £4,500
April 2019
Launch of My Mito Mission’s striking, more powerful new branding
July 2019
First grants awarded through The Lily Foundation. £42,500 towards research into treatments and a cure, plus a support weekend for adults with mito
September 2019
First new mission – Regan’s Mito Mission based in the West Midlands launched.
Celebrities and public join #KissGoodbyeToMito to make our first Global Mito Awareness Week campaign a huge success.
January 2020
Largest single donation to date of £10,000 received from Thornhill Estates.
The World Pandemic means the cancellation or postponement of many of our plans for 2020/2021. Our focus changes to building new income streams, our volunteer team, our missions and our foundations so that we can emerge all the stronger post pandemic.
March 2020
Due to Covid outbreak, stocks of perishable items for raffles, tombolas etc gifted in 30+ ’Hug Bundles‘ to people living with mito in lockdown.
March 2020
New Website is completed and launched.
March 2020
Despite restrictions around the pandemic, our missions steadily grow and reach 7, based around the UK.
September 2020
Second grant awarded through The Lily Foundation of over £23,000 to a vital Neuropsychiatric research project
Reallocation of previous unused funds give a further £4,000 to the above, and £10,000 to The Rudy Study for mito patients inclusion.
November 2020
Our Mito Shop opens with branded items from t-shirts to tote bags, bookmarks to baubles to raise awareness and funds.
February 2021
New regular donation scheme ‘Regular Mito Hero’ goes live.
September 2021
Our Light Up For Mito Campaign for World Mito Week is a huge success – including our fabulous Light Up Products.
October 2021
Double figures reached with our tenth mission launched. Our missions continue to go from strength to strength.
March 2022
Our missions, supporters, trustees and volunteer numbers continue to grow. Our very first employee starts work and further strengthens our team and our sustainability.
July 2022
Spring through Summer sees events ramping back up post pandemic – culminating in our amazing abseil down the iconic Wainhouse Tower.
August 2022
Another £40k donated to research through our friends at The Lily Foundation, smashing the £100k barrier in total to date.
September 2022
My Mito Mission moves into donated office space at KT Hydraulics, Elland, West Yorkshire.
October 2022
Our first ever ‘My Mito Meet Up’ weekend for our missionees to get together and create memories and friendships.
December 2022
We finish our best ever year with 18 missions and plans to go from strength to strength in 2023.
Our inspirations remain those who live with mito daily and those who have tragically been lost to the condition. We work to bring them more recognition, treatments, support … and above all, hope for a cure.
Please continue to support us!
We couldn’t do what we do without you.
Thank you.
There are other excellent charities in the UK and worldwide dedicated to mito (see My Mito Directory). My Mito Mission aims to complement, not compete with other charities’ work and to financially support some of them through our grant funding. We are all ultimately working for the same goal – to raise awareness, support, funds for research and hopes for a cure for mitochondrial disease.
We are funded primarily by individuals like you – from donations and fundraising efforts. The majority of funds goes to research towards finding a cure for mitochondrial disease. We also aim to educate everyone about mito and to improve the information and support available to those with mito and their families.
We’re proud to be able to say that the vast majority of the manpower which runs our charity is voluntary. In March 2022 we were delighted to employ one full time Charity Manager to increase our capacity and sustainability into the future. Here is the break down of where our charity’s funds go after staffing costs:
Statistics from launch of charity to end of December 2022
Our Mission Statement
To enable individuals with mitochondrial disease to be at the heart of their own personal mission under one collective banner.
To empower them along with their families, friends and communities to increase awareness, funds for research, support and information and above all hope for a cure for everyone with mitochondrial disease.
To grant funds to research and additional support to benefit as wide a cross section of those affected as possible.
To raise awareness amongst the general public about mitochondrial disease and the vital importance and potential of mitochondrial research. To increase understanding that more research into mitochondrial function could be the key to unlock treatments for many common conditions which affect MILLIONS in the UK alone.
Our Vision
Mitochondrial disease is a known and understood condition across the general public and medical profession alike. Those affected by mito feel that their illness is known, understood and that they are supported as with any other condition.
Mitochondrial research has expanded and successfully brought diagnoses for everyone affected and treatments for the many linked conditions as well as for mitochondrial disease.
Mitochondrial disease is treatable to the point of having of little or no impact to those affected, or is cured completely.
Our Patrons
Actor/Presenter
Sky Sports News Editor
MD, Thornhill Estates
Our Staff
Charity Manager
Our Trustees
Trustee
Trustee
Treasurer
Trustee
Chair
Our Official Volunteers
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