MMA 4 CMT Let’s Make CMT Tapout!
Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) is a slowly progressive peripheral neuropathy that results in muscular atrophy and sensory loss in the arms and legs and causes chronic pain.
MMA 4 CMT’s Mission is “Working to raise awareness of Charcot Marie Tooth (CMT) disease through the growing sport of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) professional fighting to their 31 million fans and to make MMA style training programs designed for and available to people with CMT”
MMA 4 CMT’s Aims & Objectives:
· Increasing public awareness of CMT so people can understand the effects of the disease
· Increasing CMT patient awareness of the types of symptoms that CMT can cause and the variety of treatments and aides available
· Reaching out to doctors who often struggle to diagnose the early symptoms correctly. Lack of correct diagnosis often results in disbelief of the severity of the pain and weakness, especially in children, improper treatments, and sometimes, unnecessary surgeries
· Implementing and promoting MMA training programs designed for people affected by CMT
· Contributing indirectly, through enormous exposure, to some of the organizations already working to offer support and services to those with CMT
Here's more about how and why we're makin this happen:
ReplyDeleteMMA 4 CMT Icons:
1. Partnership with a professional UFC/MMA athlete (major international exposure)
2. Creation of some level of MMA competition for athletes with CMT (there are a few of us who would!)
3. Creation of a CMT "super hero" character that achieves his power with braces, tools, perseverance, and creative innovation
About MMA 4 CMT’s founder:
My name is Richard Wheeler and I am 44 years old. I was diagnosed with Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disorder at nineteen. CMT is an inherited disorder that I learned runs in my family. My great grandfather had it, but they thought his problems were from polio. None of his thirteen children showed signs of CMT, but some of his daughter’s son’s, granddaughter’s sons, and now some of the great-granddaughters are showing it as well. I am the first great-grandson in the family tree, I, and many of my cousins, have CMT. It is a slowly progressive peripheral neuropathy that results in muscular atrophy and sensory loss in the arms and legs and causes chronic pain. Many people have never heard of CMT, but it is actually the most common type of inherited peripheral neuropathy, affecting approximately 150,000 Americans and 2.6 million people worldwide.
I have always admired the sport of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) competition and the training the athletes endure. I often dreamed of modifying an MMA training program that would overcome the limits of my CMT and capitalize on my strengths. I recently met a young man online who is in the beginning stages of CMT and learned that he wishes to compete while he still has time. I also read of a gentleman around my age and he uses a modified MMA training program that works with his CMT! Thinking I was alone in my struggles and my dream, these and other CMT stories have lit a fire under my…feet to be a part of making it happen.
whatch this it will make you feel good! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rp1bNDqULJc
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