[Date]

The Honorable [Insert name of Congress Person/Senator] [Address] [Address]

Dear Senator/Congressman [ INSERT NAME OF ELECTED OFFICIAL]:

I am writing to urge you to support/sponsor legislation to increase federal funding for mitochondrial disease research. My [son/daughter/neighbor] suffers from [XXXXX], a mitochondrial disease. [Information about specific situation, symptoms/anecdotes/number of families with the disease or other relevant information].

Mitochondrial diseases result from failures of the mitochondria, specialized compartments present in every cell of the body except red blood cells. Mitochondria are responsible for creating more than 90 percent of the energy needed by the body to sustain life and support growth. When they fail, less and less energy is generated within the cell. Cell injury and even cell death follow. If this process is repeated throughout the body, whole systems begin to fail, and the life of the person is severely compromised.

A recent study published in the American Journal of Human Genetics conducted by Dr. Patrick Chinnery and researchers at Newcastle University in the UK found that one in every 200 people have a mitochondrial DNA mutation that could cause a mitochondrial disease in the children of women who carry the mutation.

Dr. Chinnery’s findings demand that the federal government move now to provide the research funding necessary to prevent these mutations from being passed down, generation after generation.

Currently, mitochondrial disease has no effective treatment and no cure. Due to its complexity, mitochondrial disease can go for years before being properly diagnosed. Its symptoms vary greatly from person to person and can include muscle weakness, blindness, deafness, even unexplained strokes and seizures, and sometimes premature death. Mitochondrial dysfunction has been implicated in a range of other more well-known diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, osteoporosis, and even cancer.

Providing adequate funding levels for research into mitochondrial dysfunction will ensure the development of better treatments and diagnostics for those who suffer from mitochondrial disease. Additionally, this research has the potential to open the door to a new world of medical knowledge, enabling doctors and scientists to develop better diagnostics and treatments for many diseases, such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, which have been linked to mitochondrial dysfunction. Ultimately, the investment we make now may enable doctors and researchers to transform medicine, benefiting not only those suffering from mitochondrial disease, but the many millions of Americans who suffer from the wide range of diseases related to mitochondrial dysfunction.

Please support/sponsor legislation to increase funding for mitochondrial disease research.

Sincerely, Name Address Phone Email