2022 MitoScholars/+ Empowering youth living with, or family members who are living with, mitochondrial disease to focus on their futures
Andrew Ouellette | Newmarket, Ontario | Sports Psychology (fourth year), Laurentian University
Andrew Ouellette, a young man who lives with long-chain 3-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase (LCHAD), a rare condition that prevents the body from converting certain fats to energy, particularly during periods without food (fasting).
Despite Andrew’s parents being advised against putting young Andrew into sports as overexertion would cause his body to go into crisis if not treated or managed properly, Andrew developed a major love for baseball as a young child.
Today, baseball is still a major part of Andrew’s life. He plays, coaches, umpires, works and volunteers in baseball, which made it a no brainer with regards to his decision to pursue a degree in Sports Psychology. MitoCanada is thrilled to support Andrew in his education.
“Thank you to MitoCanada for creating this opportunity for me and other students like me who don’t ‘fit’ into the criteria for certain disabilities as our disease is so rare that we don’t meet eligibility for other scholarships or grants,” says Andrew. “Recognition of our rare conditions means so much to us who have overcome so much to pursue a post secondary education but have so many other expenses due to our dietary needs and other accommodations. It really means a lot to me and my family that we can breathe a little easier this year financially due to this generous award.”