The Mighty Mito & A GIVEAWAY!!!

Do you know what a Mitochondria is?  

(Other than a really long word that is hard to fit on a cookie?)

Yes... I know that I spelled Mitochondrial wrong...  but this is the only photo I had. Ugh.

You may remember from Fifth Grade science that the mitochondria is the "powerhouse" of the cell.

But even if you know what a mitochondria is, and maybe what it does, you are probably not familiar with what happens when the mitochondria doesn't do what it is supposed to do.

Mitochondrial disease occurs when there is a defect in the body’s ‘powerhouses’. The mitochondria fail to produce enough energy. That results in organ systems failing. Imagine a major city with half of its power plants shut down. The same thing happens in the affected person’s body. The brain may be impaired.  They may lose vision or hearing. The heart may be weakened, and they may have eating and digestive issues. The symptoms range from mild to severe for each affected person. (UMDF.org)

My friend Tricia is a freshman in high school, and she has Mitochondrial Disease.  If you don't read any of my other posts, please take a few minutes to watch this video that she made about her journey and please consider helping to support the United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation by sponsoring me for the "Energy for Life" Walk-a-thon.  Every gift helps.  Thank you!

A couple of weeks ago,  I was trying so hard to make cookies for a fundraiser for Mitochondrial Disease.  I worked and worked on cute cookies.  Finally, it was time to make the "Special Extra" cookie that I like to add to each order.  I had cut five cookies, in hopes that I would have one good one... I was trying to cookie the UMDF logo.

A gift basket of cookies for my friend Tricia
to give friends and doctors

First  of all, I had a terrible time getting my Mitos to be close enough, but not running into each other when they settled.  I piped and scraped and piped and scraped, over and over again.  Once I was finally happy with how they were looking, I started working on the words.  Well, it turns out "Mitochondrial" is a REALLY LONG word to try to squeeze on a cookie.  I used my Wilton #1 tip and only got as far as the H.  I practiced on wax paper and still couldn't make it fit.  So I schlepped myself and my three young daughters half-way across town to buy a PME 0 and 00 tip.  Unfortunately, those sweet little tips kept clogging, so I researched online how to keep them from clogging... and schlepped out again, this time to Target to buy new in the package, never worn panty hose to try to strain the icing.  So I went home and strained my icing. Still clogged.  Thinned my icing, again and finally, it squeaked through those itty-bitty tips without clogging.  HOWEVER, once I started writing on  my cookie... it flooded all over the place instead of sitting still!  UGH!  Then, I finally got the BRILLIANT idea to just write the words on my cookie with a food color marker.  My problems were solved.  Beautiful cookies!  Whew!

I gave one to my friend with MITO Disease and took one to the fundraiser and displayed it proudly on a little easel. ;^)

All is well that ends well.... well until today, when I was editing my photos for my post about the cookies and I realized I spelled "mitochondrial" WRONG on one of the cookies.  Was it the one I gave my sweet friend or the one I displayed for the world to see?  You guess...  Oh well. ;^P

All that said, in the big picture, I am incredibly blessed and thankful to have three healthy girls, an amazing (and patient) husband, and get to bake my cookies and eat them too.

Tricia's Awesome Basketball Cake!

Which reminds me, I have mentioned that my young  friend Tricia, who has Mitochondrial Disease, receives all of her nutrition through a feeding tube. She hasn't eaten real food for years.

But that doesn't stop this amazing young lady from baking for others. Just a couple of weeks ago, she took a plate of cookies that she baked to the Ronald McDonald House at Children's Mercy Hospital.  And she loves to bake cakes too.  Here is a cool basketball cake that she made for her dad's birthday last year!




So here is the news you have been waiting for... In honor of Mitochondrial Disease Awareness week, I am doing a GIVEAWAY!!!

I will be using the Rafflecopter App below to giveaway:

The frogs and the ribbon cookie cutters are from
 Karen's Cookies!  (I love that place!)

A Dozen Mitochondrial Disease Awareness Cookies
(6 Ribbons and 6 Mighty Mitos)

AND 

4 Cookie Cutters
(2 different frogs, 1 medium awareness ribbon, &
1 handmade "Mighty Mito")

My "Mighty Mito" Shaped Cookies

For these Mitochondrial Disease Awareness cookies, I created this fun "Mighty Mito" shaped cookie cutter.  Afterwards, I started to wonder what other shaped cookies I might be able to make with my cutter.  I thought of several ideas, but I would love to hear what you think!   So, just leave me a comment, using the Rafflecopter app and let me know and you will be entered into my giveaway!

There are also several other ways to earn points for a chance to win...  including learning more about Mitochondrial Disease and spreading the word.

Some of the links are being silly though, so if you having trouble with getting there through Rafflecopter try using these links:

• Visit the UMDF at umdf.org.
• Watch Tricia's Video.
• Write Tricia an encouraging note on her walkathon page.

Thanks for participating and have fun!

The GIVEAWAY is now closed. 

The winner will be announced tomorrow!  

Thank you so much for your participation! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway
The Giveaway ends at Midnight on Sunday, September 23 and due to mailing costs is only open to residents of the United States.

Thank you!

Sarah

Energy for Life

This morning in Kansas City hundreds of people are gathering to honor loved ones who suffer from a terrible disease called Mitochondrial Disease.  This morning is the Energy for Life Walkathon to support the United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation.  

Every 30 minutes a child is born with a mitochondrial disease. Each year, there is an increase in the number of adults who are being diagnosed with mitochondrial disease.

- Research tells us that between 1,000 and 4,000 children are born with a mitochondrial disease each year.

- Research also indicates that 1 in every 200 healthy people may carry the mutation that could develop into

a mitochondrial disease in their lifetime.

- Because mitochondrial disease is complex and not easy to diagnose, most patients suffer symptoms for

months or years before they are accurately diagnosed with a mitochondrial disease.

- The severity of symptoms and how the disease manifests itself varies. One affected individual may have difficulty breathing or suffer from digestive problems, while another may not be able to walk, talk, or see.

If you would like to learn more, please visit the UMDF website or check out these simple  Mito Disease FAQs .

I chose flowers to help support UMDF awareness, because just like flowers, people need energy to live and grow.

Team Tricia from 2011 Energy for Life Walk-a-thon
(Reader R and I are in the front row, next to Tricia!)

My friend Tricia is a freshman in high school, and she has Mitochondrial Disease.  If you don't read any of my other posts, please take a few minutes to watch this video that she made about her journey.

This morning, Team Tricia, is at the Energy for Life Walkathon.  Walking, laughing, hugging, raising money and awareness to support and encourage this sweet young lady who has been sick with Mito for more than three years.

However, Tricia is not with them.  She is in the hospital, again, sick with complications from her Mito.  Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers.



Tricia looks like a happy, healthy teenager.  Yet, she suffers from autonomic neuropathy, chronic nerve pain, chronic fatigue, breathing difficulties, delayed gastric emptying, GI motility issues, acid reflux, hypercalciuria, visual impairments, and kidney stones, and oh yeah, and she hasn't eaten by mouth in  years.


Please consider helping to support the United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation by sponsoring me for the upcoming "Energy for Life" Walk-a-thon.  Every gift helps.

If you are unable to make a donation at this time, please just take one more minute to visit Tricia's Walkathon page and leave her an encouraging message!  THANK YOU!

Thank you,
Sarah

P.S. - Please be on the look out for additional Mito Disease Awareness posts this coming week.  One of them will have a GIVEAWAY that you won't want to miss! 

Cookies for a Cause - Mitochondrial Disease

Every 30 minutes, a child will be born who will develop mitochondrial disease by the age of 10. 

Mitochondrial disease occurs when there is a defect in the body’s ‘powerhouses’. The mitochondria fail to produce enough energy. That results in organ systems failing. Imagine a major city with half of its power plants shut down. The same thing happens in the affected person’s body. The brain may be impaired.  They may lose vision or hearing. The heart may be weakened, and they may have eating and digestive issues. The symptoms range from mild to severe for each affected person. (UMDF.org)

Mitochondrial Disease Awareness Week is September 16-23.  Between now and then I will be sharing information about Mitochondrial Disease.  Please take a few minutes to read it... 

So far, my cookies have raised more than $100 for the United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation! Thank you!

This past week, I baked cookies to raise money support the United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation, but I really baked cookies to show my love for an amazing young lady, named Tricia, and her mother, Wendy.

Over the next few posts, I will be sharing her story, telling you about Mitochondrial Disease, giving you an opportunity to help, and maybe even sneaking in a give-away! ;^) Oh yeah, and talking about cookies too!

I will be featuring each of these cookies and a few fun extras over the next few weeks on my blog.

Tricia and her younger brother Andrew
 with my oldest two, Reader R and Curious K,
after a performance of the Wizard of OZ.

My friend Tricia is a freshman in high school, and she has Mitochondrial Disease.  If you don't read any of my other posts, please take a few minutes to watch this video that she made about her journey.

Tricia looks like a happy, healthy teenager.  Yet, she suffers from autonomic neuropathy, chronic nerve pain, chronic fatigue, breathing difficulties, delayed gastric emptying, GI motility issues, acid reflux, hypercalciuria, visual impairments, and kidney stones, and oh yeah, and she hasn't eaten by mouth in  years.

Please consider helping to support the United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation by sponsoring me for the upcoming "Energy for Life" Walk-a-thon.  Every gift helps.

Thank you!
Sarah

www.umdf.org