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 new guide will help you make sense of your condition. Find easy-to-understand explainers, science simplified and the reassurance that we’re with you every step of the way.
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.
We’re delighted to share that The Lily Foundation has been shortlisted for the finals of the Smiley Charity Film Awards 2026, the world’s leading campaign celebrating films for good, thanks to the overwhelming support of our community.
Did you know that 1 in 17 people live with a rare disease? That’s not actually that rare, so chances are someone you know is affected. We’re on a mission to end the isolation felt by rare disease patients, so as we approach Rare Disease Day on 28th February, join us and help campaign for better care and raised awareness for rare.
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