MitoCanada is celebrating 15 years of impact, resilience, and progress, and we’re kicking off our 15 Stories for 15 Years series with the story that started it all: Blaine and Evan Penny.
In 2008, Blaine and his family’s world changed forever when his four-year-old son, Evan, went in for what was supposed to be a routine appendectomy. Instead of waking up as expected, Evan fell into a coma. Five days later, he regained consciousness, but he had changed forever, becoming non-verbal and needing to be tube-fed. After months of uncertainty, testing led to a probable mitochondrial disease diagnosis. Read their full story on our website: https://mitocanada.org/evan-penny/
Determined to turn heartbreak into action, Blaine channelled his endurance as a marathoner into raising awareness and funds for mito research.
In 2010, he ran a gruelling 100-kilometre ultra-marathon through Alberta’s mountains, marking the start of what would become MitoCanada — a national charity dedicated to supporting Canadians impacted by mitochondrial disease.
Today, we honour Blaine and Evan’s story — the spark that ignited 15 years of progress, community, and hope.
Join us in fuelling the next 15 years. Every donation helps us continue this vital work and create a future where no one faces mito alone.
Be part of the journey. Donate today:
