My name is Kailey and I live in Ajax, Ontario with my husband and two children. My diagnosis journey with mitochondrial disease began in childhood and took more than seven years before a muscle biopsy finally gave me some answers. Later, with the support of Dr. Mark Tarnopolsky, I was diagnosed with CPEO+. Along the way, I’ve faced ptosis (and four surgeries), vision loss, chronic pain, respiratory issues, and muscle weakness.

MitoCanada has been such an important part of my journey. I attended the very first Canadian mitochondrial disease conference, received support to join the UMDF conference in the U.S., and volunteered as a peer supporter. Each of these experiences connected me with others who truly understood what I was going through. Today, I’m proud to serve as a MitoCanada Ambassador and I look forward to raising awareness, sharing my story, and supporting others in the mito community.