Hi. If you’re here I bet you’re here because a loved one or someone you know has something called Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease. I bet you’re wondering what that is and what a disease about teeth has to do with their feet? Well let me fill you in. First thing, it’s absolutely nothing to do with teeth! Tooth,or rather Howard-Henry Tooth is one one of the people who discovered CMT, alongside Jean-Martin Charcot and Pierre Marie. That’s how CMT gets its fantastical name. These men were actually 2nd to find the disease but as happens in history, it is those 2nd to do something that become famous for it. 

So what IS it? CMT is a neuromuscular disease that affects the peripheral and sensory nerves (the ones in charge of movement and touch functions). It can affect nearly every area of the body, with most damage being dealt to the feet, legs and arms. There are many symptoms associated with CMT that can differ wildly from patient to patient which can include (but are not limited to):    

Pain, fatigue, high arches, foot drop, hammer toes, muscle weakness, loss of sensation, cold hands and feet, muscle wastage, tremors, scoliosis, damaged nerves, limited mobility, problems with breathing and swallowing, mobility problems, manual dexterity problems and others. There are more than 100 genes (DNA) identified currently that cause CMT and researchers are still finding new ones. We haven’t unlocked all of CMT. 

There is currently no cure for CMT. There are only treatments to treat the symptoms and these treatments are limited. That is why we are fundraising! We are fundraising to find better treatments and hopefully one day a cure.