This September 27th, Bellwoods are hosting our monthly Give Back Friday Donation Day in support of friends of the shop, Laura, Kev and baby Leo, who are raising money for The Lily Foundation. Known as Team Leo, the family are joining together with the local Whitley Bay community to give hope and support to all those affected by Mitochondrial Disease. We'll be donating 10% of the day's sales, in our Whitley Bay store, and on Bellwoodslifestylestore.co.uk, to the Team Leo Lily Foundation Donation Page on Just Giving.
What Is Mitochondrial Disease?
As per The Lily Foundation, Mitochondrial disease is a rare inherited disorder. Our mitochondria are essentially the tiny organelles within our cells that generate most of the energy we require to function. Without healthy mitochondria, cells cannot function properly and the results can be debilitating and eventually life-ending.
Mitochondrial disease is a complex and difficult-to-diagnose condition that affects people in very different ways. It often affects babies and young children, and the long-term prognosis for sufferers is poor.
Team Leo's Story
Leo was born in January this year, with a very rare form of mitochondrial disease, known in abbreviated terms as LBSL. With his future unknown, and the potentially devastating effects of this disease, his family draw strength from his beautiful smiles, his incredible team of health care professionals, as well as the wonderful support of family and friends. They hope that by sharing Leo’s story, they can help raise money for The Lily Foundation, a charity working tirelessly to support families in the UK living with mito.
The Lily Foundation
The Lily Foundation funds research into Mitochondrial Disease and other metabolic disorders. It also raises important awareness and supports those families who are affected with metabolic disorders.
There is currently no cure for mitochondrial disorders, but The Lily Foundation are working hard to change that. Important steps have been made to make diagnosis faster, easier and less invasive for patients, and some promising research into effective mitochondrial disease treatments is underway. The more we learn about genetic mitochondrial dysfunction, the closer we will be to one day finding a cure.
You can support The Lily Foundation directly through their website, or donate to Team Leo's Just Giving Page, and help the lives of patients and families affected by mitochondrial disease.
Bellwoods Lifestyle Store has donates monthly to a different charity or organisation in Whitley Bay, Newcastle upon Tyne and beyond. So far in 2024, we have donated over £1,750. To read more about how we support our community, visit our Supporting Our Community Page.