Festive dash in West Yorkshire puts a grand into Santa’s charity sack

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A Calderdale-based charity which could help millions of people facing serious and terminal illnesses has raised around £1,000 with a Santa Dash.

The event at Stainland Cricket Club featured 1.5k and 5k courses and was raising money for My Mito Mission which has its headquarters in Elland and operates UK-wide.

Christine Beal, of Rastrick, co-founded My Mito Mission after losing her daughter, Emma, to the little known condition mitochondrial disease aged just 28.

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It’s a complex and, so far, incurable illness, but essentially mitochondrial are like little battery packs inside every cell in the body converting food into energy and if they don’t work properly they can have a major impact on people’s main organs, health and basic wellbeing.

Runners after finishing the My Mito Mission Santa Dash 2024 in Stainland, Calderdale.Runners after finishing the My Mito Mission Santa Dash 2024 in Stainland, Calderdale.
Runners after finishing the My Mito Mission Santa Dash 2024 in Stainland, Calderdale.

Mitochondrial dysfunction is now known to be a factor in some of the most common and well-known medical conditions and diseases such as cancer, dementia, Parkinson’s, strokes, sepsis, diabetes, epilepsy and even Covid 19.

Christine said: “Mitochondrial disease is incurable and terribly unforgiving. We are currently supporting a family who face losing their two-year-old daughter before Christmas, among many others.

“This is why research into mitochondrial disease is critical. It can help in the treatment and research for many other conditions which is why we say that Mitochondrial research matters to millions. The more money we can put into mitochondrial research, the more a lot of other conditions could benefit.

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“I want to thank everyone who braved the cold, wind and rain to take part in our first ever Santa Dash and we hope to now turn it into an annual event.”

Runners set off at the My Mito Mission Santa Dash 2024 in Stainland, Calderdale.Runners set off at the My Mito Mission Santa Dash 2024 in Stainland, Calderdale.
Runners set off at the My Mito Mission Santa Dash 2024 in Stainland, Calderdale.

Around one in 5,000 people suffer from the condition – that’s around 13,500 across the UK - which makes mitochondrial disease one of the most common genetic illnesses.

Find out more on the My Mito Mission website at https://www.mymitomission.uk

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