The third full week of September each year is designated Mitochondrial Disease Awareness Week in Minnesota.
Mitochondria, the power plants in every cell of the body, can be damaged by genetic defects, drugs, or destructive molecules called free radicals. Such damage leads to progressive diseases that affect roughly one in 4,000 children in the United States each year.
During Mitochondrial Disease Awareness Week, residents of the state are urged to become better informed about mitochondrial diseases and their impact.
History:2011 c 104 s 2