Chandra Wilson both directs and acts in Episode #906, entitled “Second Opinion,” which incorporates an adult character who finds out that he has Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome.  Following the episode, Ms. Wilson appears in a 10 second public service announcement that points viewers to the Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome Association website (www.cvsaonline.org) which will have front page links to CureMito! and 2013 Pasadena Rock n Roll ½ Marathon and Mini Run.

“I heard the strong desire from sufferers and their families to have a CVS (Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome) storyline on Grey’s Anatomy. I had been talking about it for about a season, and decided to make an official pitch to the writers before we went back to work for season 9,” explained actress and director Chandra Wilson.  “Once I was given this opportunity, I asked my producers if a PSA (public service announcement) would be possible, and was given the approval,” she continued.

Chandra Wilson, a multiple award winning television actress, began her philanthropic role as the ambassador of this relatively new charity organization after her eldest daughter, Sarina McFarlane, was diagnosed with Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome, or CVS, a type of mitochondrial dysfunction.  Ms. Wilson’s daughter was officially diagnosed at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles by Medical Geneticist Dr. Richard Boles after undergoing a vast medical workup by numerous pediatric specialists for close to a year.  Ms. Wilson’s daughter, a college sophomore who used to suffer from monthly bouts of vomiting and abdominal migraines, is now able to manage her chronic medical condition under the proper treatment.

In addition to her help with CureMito!, Ms. Wilson is also spokesperson for CVSA, Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome Association.  Ms. Wilson is hopeful that the episode, which is expected to reach an audience of over 10 million, will ultimately help viewers and their loved ones who might be afflicted with cyclic vomiting syndrome.  “I believe that saying the name (Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome/mitochondrial disease) will lead to the validation of a Grey’s viewer who may be suffering at home with or without an official diagnosis.”

Along with this special “Grey’s Anatomy” episode and public service announcement, Ms. Wilson will be making television appearances on CBS television’s “The Talk” and NBC television’s “Access Hollywood Live” on November 15th.  Ms. Wilson and Dr. Richard Boles will be seen on a local medical news segment with ABC7 Eyewitness News Health specialist Denise Dador earlier that week, too.  During these interviews, Ms. Wilson will discuss her participation in the upcoming Pasadena Rock n’ Roll ½ Marathon and Mini Run.

Dr. Boles, a pediatrician who specializes in Medical Genetics at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and Medical Director at Courtagen Life Sciences, Inc., agrees that the episode may lead to identifying and helping some who may have cyclic vomiting syndrome.  He is also hoping that the episode will encourage those affected and others to get involved by further increasing awareness and advocacy for fundraising for research in mitochondrial medicine.

In addition to Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome, patients with mitochondrial disorders may suffer from a host of additional functional conditions such as autism, SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome), migraine, depression, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, and bowel dysfunction. Mitochondrial disease is believed to be more common in children than cancer, and several times more common than muscular dystrophy. However, the exact incidence of mitochondrial disease is unknown since so many people live their lives undiagnosed.

Per Dr. Boles, “Mitochondrial disease is the most common disease that you probably have never heard of.”

CureMito! Board Member Suri Nowosiolski who has a preschool age daughter affected with mitochondrial disease explained, “When our child was diagnosed with mitochondrial disease at 9 weeks old, we had never heard of this disease. We were extraordinarily lucky–many families search for a diagnosis for years. Getting the word out about mito (mitochondrial disease) can help ensure early diagnosis and proper treatment for mito patients—thereby (possibly) saving patients and their families from years of illness and uncertainty.”

CureMito! is a Los Angeles based non-profit which raises funding for clinical and laboratory research of mitochondrial disease and its related functional disorders and increases awareness and understanding of mitochondrial disease in both the medical and general communities.  CureMito! is the benefiting charity for the Pasadena Rock n’ Roll Half Marathon and 5K Mini Run on Sunday, February 17th, 2013.

This article was originally published at: http://www.pasadenanow.com/main/curemito-charity-organization-and-its-ambassador-actress-chandra-wilson-celebrate-a-greys-anatomy-viewing-party-in-pasadena-on-november-15

Read more about Chandra Wilson’s Real-Life Stomach Migraine Mystery at: http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Wellness/greys-anatomy-chandra-wilsons-real-life-medical-mystery/story?id=13328839#.UKFZkOOe-WU

On July 5, 2011, my husband and I were told that our 2-year-old son has an invisible killer living inside his body.

Just a few short years ago, I was happily pregnant. Now, suddenly: Why? What? When? All these questions came with so few answers about a disease that few know about or understand.

That invisible killer is called mitochondrial disease. Our son’s specific mutation is called Leigh’s Disease.

We’re one of the lucky ones. It took us only a year to get a diagnosis — a year filled with anesthesia, a CAT scan, a muscle biopsy, a lumbar puncture, an MRI, an echocardiogram, an EKG, specialists and so on. Most families spend years attempting to find a diagnosis because of the complexities of DNA sequencing.

This silent killer is attacking our nation’s children at an appalling rate. According to the United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation, every 30 minutes a child is born who will develop a mitochondrial disease by age 10.

Read the full story at CNN.com >>

Register for the event: https://www.facebook.com/events/439604156081023/

Event Update

CureMito would like to thank everyone who came out to CPK last night in honor of Global Mitochondrial Disease Awareness Week! We truly appreciate each and every one of you that helped promote the event, sent good thoughts across the country and of course, those who attended. The fundraiser was one of CPK’s most successful nights of the year! Photos to come!

Video is curtesy of Courtagen Life Sciences, Inc.

Mutations in the human mitochondrial genome are implicated in neuromuscular diseases, metabolic defects and aging. There currently are no methods to successfully repair or compensate for these mutations, said study co-senior author Dr. Michael Teitell, a professor of pathology and laboratory medicine and a researcher with the Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at UCLA.

Read the Full Article at ScienceDaily.com >>