Quick blog post….September is CMT Awareness Month!!! What is CMT? Believe me, I asked that same question when I was diagnosed more than 10 years ago. Let me tell you what it is NOT! It is not Country Music Television, Certified Massage Therapy or the Connecticut Marine Trades Association. These are the many topics that pop up when one Googles CMT. It also is NOT MS (Multiple Sclerosis). Though the symptoms can be similar, the treatment is very different. That is why proper diagnosis is important.
CMT stands for Charcot-Marie-Tooth, the names of the people who discovered the disease in the 1800s. It is a form of Muscular Dystrophy and is the most commonly inherited peripheral neuropathy disorder in the world, impacting 1 – 2500 people; roughly 2.6 people million people worldwide. Yet, many do not know about it, and unfortunately, many are misdiagnosed. CMT is a neurological disorder damaging the peripheral nerves causing muscle weakness in the feet and lower legs, hands and forearms. This disorder impacts each individual differently. Some experience symptoms in their youth, while others, like myself, do not display symptoms until older. I was in my mid-thirties when my symptoms started to appear with a small tremor in my hands and curling toes.
This entire month is dedicated to raising awareness about Charcot-Marie-Tooth. I will be participating September 10th in a Walk4CMT. More to come about that experience, hopefully with some pictures! I will be posting more about my journey throughout September.
If you’d like to support my walk and donate to the cause, follow this link:
https://cmta.akaraisin.com/hamden/LisaS
Happy September!
Finding Abilities 