Fighting mito,
finding hope.
Donate through JustGiving to help The Lily Foundation fight mitochondrial disease and find hope for patients and their families.
Mitochondrial disease, or ‘mito’, is a rare, complex and difficult-to-diagnose genetic disorder that affects people in very different ways. It can affect any organ at any age, and often occurs in babies and young children. There is currently no cure, but we’re working hard to change that, and are the largest charitable funder of mitochondrial research in Europe.
Mitochondrial dysfunction has been identified as a key factor in other more common diseases including dementia, Parkinson's disease, epilepsy and cancer. The research we fund and support not only holds promise for individuals with mitochondrial disorders, but has the potential to benefit millions of others too.
That’s why, despite being a little-known disease, mitochondrial disease could be the key to some of the most important medical breakthroughs of our time.
We want to show you just what it takes to live with mitochondrial disease.
Meet Harry, Mandy, Katie, Tom and Leia, all real people, living with mito every day. Leia and her family show incredible courage as they fight her incurable condition. Harry and his mum Mandy have hope and belief for the future. They all have what it takes – but they can’t do it alone.
With your support, The Lily Foundation can keep providing care for families like these, funding vital research and finding hope where it’s needed most. Do you have what it takes to help us fight mito? Donate today to make a difference.
Our video, ‘What it Takes’, has been selected for the Smiley Charity Film Awards and we need your help to reach the finals! Please take just a few seconds to vote for us by 30th January. Thank you.
Raised
since 2007
Families
supported
Donated
to patients
Research projects
funded
It takes dedication. It takes insight. It takes countless hours of careful writing, reviewing and refining. And today, we’re incredibly proud to announce a very special resource we believe will make a real difference: The Lily Foundation Guide to Mitochondrial Disease – the first patient-focused resource of its kind in the UK.
For Harry and his mum, their belief has been tested again and again. Harry lives with MERRF, but it took nearly 20 years for his syndrome to be correctly identified. We spoke to them about an ordeal all too common for adults with mitochondrial disease – the long and winding road to a diagnosis – and how they’ve learnt to live with positivity and belief in the face of an uncertain future.
Celebrity patron and long-time Lily Foundation supporter Josh Widdicombe began 2026 on a high with an incredible festive winning streak, securing over £21,000 for the mitochondrial disease community across two major TV game shows.
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