Arnprior, Ont. lights up green for Mito awareness
Homes across Arnprior, Ont. will light up green Saturday night in support of a local family.
September 24 marks the Light Up for Mito day, a worldwide event where green lights are lit to wrap up Mitochondrial Disease Awareness Week.
Arnprior resident Sarah Tait is seeing more houses lit green than ever before in support of her family. Tait's son Nicholas lives with a mitochondrial dysfunction.
"He's considered blind, he's non-verbal, and he just needs help with everyday functions," says Tait.
According to the Mito Foundation, mitochondrial disease affects everyone differently, and happens when the mitochondria within a person's cells do not produce energy as it should. It is a condition that affects about 1 in 5,000 people.
Sarah Tait with her son, Nicholas. Tait's son Nicholas lives with a mitochondrial dysfunction. (Sarah Tait/submitted)
This year, Tait and friend Leslie Anne Hook decided to promote the light up event locally and gathered 50 light bulbs to pass out to homes for free.
"It really is a symbol of support locally to our family here, Sarah and Nicholas, raising awareness for this great cause," Hook tells CTV News Ottawa.
"Growing it from 10 people to 20, this year 50," says Hook. "We're hoping to partner next year with a lot of people and keep growing it locally."
National monuments, like Toronto's CN Tower will also be lit green tonight to cap Mitochondrial Disease Awareness Week.
The pair managed to pass out all 50 light bulbs ahead of Saturday night. In the days before the official light up, Tait has been overwhelmed by the support of her family's cause.
The CN Tower will be lit green on Saturday for Mitochondrial Disease Awareness Week. (CN Tower/Twitter)
"My mom and I drove around the other night to see where we can see the green lights in the community, and it's fantastic to see the houses where I don't know the people that live there," says Tait.
"They're lit up supporting Nicholas and myself."
"Some people have seen the lights in different parts of the community and asked their neighbours to get involved," adds Hook.
Currently mitochondrial disease has no cure. It is taught early on in science class that mitochondria is the powerhouse of a cell. There is hope that by powering on more green light bulbs, the ability to find a cure will become easier.
"And doing initiatives like this that raise awareness is the first step towards getting funding and working towards a treatment or a cure," says Tait.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
DEVELOPING Hamas accepts Gaza ceasefire proposal from Egypt and Qatar
Hamas said it has accepted a ceasefire deal proposed by Egypt and Qatar, which seeks to halt the seven-month war with Israel in Gaza, prompting Israel to say it would send a delegation to negotiate – though it warned the proposal remained far from the 'necessary requirements.'
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
2024 Met Gala: Everything to know about fashion's annual soiree
Fashion’s biggest night out — hosted at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York each year on the first Monday of May — is both a forever-evolving spectacle and a carefully crafted event.
Competition Bureau launches inquiry into Lululemon over 'greenwashing' allegations
Canada's Competition Bureau has launched an inquiry into Vancouver-based Lululemon following a complaint from members of an environmental group.
An American soldier was arrested in Russia and accused of stealing, U.S. officials say
An American soldier has been arrested in Russia and accused of stealing, according to U.S. officials. The soldier was stationed in South Korea and was in the process of returning home to the United States, but travelled to Russia.