CMT, also known as Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, is a rare hereditary disease affecting the peripheral nerves that communicate from the brain and spinal cord to other parts of the body. It is a progressive and debilitating condition, and the symptoms gradually worsen overtime. At this time, there is no cure.

CMT is a genetic disease that I inherited from my father, and we were both diagnosed at the same time when I was about four years old. My father was a brave and resilient man who worked his entire life to overcome his disabilities caused by CMT. The symptoms that afflicted my father are the same ones I endure. They are not readily apparent at first glance, but they continue to worsen over time and increasingly impact my physical abilities. My symptoms include:

• muscle weakness, poor coordination and balance
• difficulties gripping and holding items
• tingling and numbness in my extremities
• hearing loss
• unusually high foot arches and a severe foot drop that make walking a challenge
• difficulty breathing and swallowing

CMT causes progressive damage to my peripheral nerves, resulting in a loss of sensation and the ability to feel in my hands and feet. Needless to say, tripping and falling is a common occurrence, and every step I take requires me to look down and consciously focus on lifting and moving my feet in the right direction. 

CMT is a rare disease, but it is not rare to me or my family. I have lived with it my entire life, and one of my daughters also faces the challenges of CMT. We fight this disease together with the support of the CMT Research Foundation. Thanks to their hard work and the dedication of thousands of scientific experts around the world, there is hope. Incredible scientific breakthroughs are accelerating the path for gene therapy and treatments, and hopefully one day, a cure.

Join me in the fight to end this terrible disease and avoid suffering for future generations.

  Dedicated to research, committed to a cure!