Sonora Pamela Wendt

http://umdf.org/minnesotarace

http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/sonorawendt

Two and a half years ago my brother and sister-in-law gave birth to a beautiful girl Sonora. When Sonora was a few months old her mother Kalynn called in concern for Sonora's developement. Sonora was not meeting the general milestones like rolling over and reaching for objects. I remember assuring Kalynn that every child develops at different paces, (thinking she had FIRST TIME MOTHER SYNDROME). You know what I am talking about....calling your doctor everytime your baby burps funny or sneezes!

I learned an important lesson a few months later....Mothers always have a knack for knowing when something just isn't right. You feel something is off, but you can't put your finger on it.

Well, after many doctor visits, Kalynn and Justin recieved a diagnoses for Sonora, Mitochondria simplex 1.

"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% 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 in whom this is happening is severely compromised. The disease primarily affects children, but adult onset is becoming more and more common.Diseases of the mitochondria appear to cause the most damage to cells of the brain, heart, liver, skeletal muscles, kidney and the endocrine and respiratory systems.Depending on which cells are affected, symptoms may include loss of motor control, muscle weakness and pain, gastro-intestinal disorders and swallowing difficulties, poor growth, cardiac disease, liver disease, diabetes, respiratory complications, seizures, visual/hearing problems, lactic acidosis, developmental delays and susceptibility to infection."

I am asking for your help and support for my beautiful neice Sonora who is affected by this heart-wrenching disease. Anything you can do is greatly appreciated!

Join us for the 5K Mito Walk/Run September 20th at Thomas Lake Park Eagan, Minnesota. Registration and Silent Auction begins at 9 a.m. Walk/Run begins at 11a.m. Please contact me if you have any questions... Erin 701-388-4886