CMT Patient Stories
See the latest news about life with CMT and stories about CMT.
Lighting the Future: A Mother’s Fight for a Cure
The Greatest Gift: Kaileen Nelson, Canada, Living with CMT2D Every December, Kaileen looks for light. Not just the glittering bulbs strung across her Canadian neighborhood — but the kind of light that reminds her that hope still exists. Because for Kaileen, simple...
A Father Who Defies ‘Impossible’: Joao Cardoso’s Journey with CMT
Joao Cardoso, Brittany, France, Living with CMT Joao Cardoso never imagined that he would be riding through the town of Brittany, France, in a wheelchair, while his eight-year-old son, Edgar, pedals his bike alongside him. Because of Joao’s Charcot-Marie-Tooth...
Because of Luca: A Family’s Fight Against CMT
Tara, Luca, Liam and Lane, Louisiana, Living With CMT When Luca Haik was just four years old, his mother, Tara, sensed something wasn’t right. “Luca came home from school every day crying in pain, rushing to take off his socks and shoes saying that his feet ‘felt...
More Than Just a Rare Disease: Jodi Balog’s Journey With CMT
Jodi Balog, Pennsylvania, Living With CMT Jodi Balog has lived with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease for more than 30 years. Diagnosed at the age of 13, CMT has become all she’s ever known. While CMT is classified as a rare disease, for Jodi — and millions of others — it’s...
The Greatest Gift: Jillian Cabernel’s Story of Strength, Magic and the Hope for a Cure
The Greatest Gift: Jillian Cabernel, Vancouver, BC, Living With CMT December 2023 was a Christmas to remember for Jillian Cabernel. For the first time in her life, she truly felt the magic of the holidays. Jillian has spent her entire life living with...
Inaugural Zero-K Run Raises Awareness for CMT and CMTRF
When many people think of the word “race” they imagine a 5k, 10k and even a half-marathon. But, what about a new type of run that directly benefits patients with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease and covers no distance at all—A Zero-K Run. A Zero-K Run is exactly what it...
Walking Manhattan to Find a Cure
From a young age, Rivka knew that there was something different about her compared to her 3 siblings. That difference was Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease. Meet Rivka, a young adult living with CMT1B in New York/Manhatten who is preparing to participate in this year's...
The Importance of Fundraising
By: Miron Hall Because CMT is a rare disease, it often receives less attention and funding than more common medical conditions. Without adequate resources, researchers struggle to develop effective treatments and ultimately find a cure. This is where fundraising plays...
Joao Cardoso, Paralympic Table Tennis Player with CMT2A
Meet Joao Cardoso, a paralympic table tennis player from Portugal, living in France, and competitor in this year’s International Para Championship. In his 5 years of competing, Joao has earned many awards and titles, including the Medal of Sporting Merit and this...
There is No Guidebook on How to Parent a Child with CMT
By Thomas Sander When our daughter, Lily, was four-years-old she was unusually clumsy, something we initially wrote off as developmentally appropriate. Soon, however, her feet turned in dramatically, leaving her mobility severely restricted. My wife and I spent an...
