UMDF 2026 Spring Appeal

Thirty years ago, one father heard the words no parent should ever hear:

“There’s nothing we can do.”

Chuck Mohan refused to accept that answer for his daughter, Gina. From the basement of his Pittsburgh home – with no funding, no staff, and no roadmap – he started what would become the United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation.

But Chuck didn’t change the future alone. People like you stepped forward.

Families, researchers, advocates, and compassionate donors believed that mitochondrial disease deserved attention, research, and hope. Because of that persistence, something extraordinary happened in 2025: The first FDA-approved therapies for mitochondrial disease finally became a reality.

That breakthrough didn’t happen overnight. It took decades of research, collaboration, and support from people who refused to accept that nothing could be done.

Chuck reflects on those early days often: “What I didn’t understand back then was how much [groundwork] had to be laid before treatments were even possible – awareness, credibility, funding, collaboration. If we hadn’t started then we wouldn’t be here now.”

Thanks to supporters like you, that foundation is now changing lives. But the truth is, our work is far from finished.

Most mitochondrial diseases still have no approved treatments. Many patients still wait years for an accurate diagnosis. Families continue to navigate complex medical systems with too few specialists and limited resources.

That’s why this moment matters so much.

We are entering a new era of possibility for mitochondrial disease, but the momentum we’ve built will only continue if compassionate supporters step forward today.

With your help, UMDF is pursuing a bold vision for the future:

A world free from the challenges of mitochondrial disease

And your generosity will help make it possible.

Today, mitochondrial disease research and care are at a critical turning point. Breakthroughs are finally happening – and together, we can accelerate the progress families have waited decades to see.

Your gift today helps power the next chapter of discovery, care, and hope.

Our Bold Vision for the Next Three Years

Here’s what your generosity can make possible:

• Accelerating Breakthrough Research
  The first FDA-approved therapies in 2025 proved that progress is possible. With your support, UMDF is working to expand transformational research and drive the discoveries that could lead to new treatments – and one day, cures for mitochondrial disease.
• Helping Families Get Answers Faster
  Too many patients spend years searching for a diagnosis. Your support helps expand access to expert care and train a new generation of mitochondrial disease specialists so families can get answers – and treatment – sooner.
• Bringing the Community Together to Move Faster
  Breakthroughs happen faster when the brightest minds work together. Your generosity helps unite researchers, clinicians, and advocates across the mitochondrial disease community to share knowledge, remove barriers, and accelerate progress.
• Raising Awareness and Driving Earlier Diagnosis
  Mitochondrial disease remains widely misunderstood – even within the medical community. Your gift helps expand education and national awareness so more physicians recognize the signs and patients are diagnosed earlier.

Together, these efforts can transform the future for thousands of individuals and families living with mitochondrial disease.

But progress like this depends on people who care enough to act.

Please make your generous gift today.

Your support will help accelerate lifesaving research, expand access to care, and bring hope to families facing mitochondrial disease.

Because the words “there’s nothing we can do” should never be the end of the story.

With your help, they won’t be.