5 days ago
'It was incredibly moving to hear' - York dad welcomes medical breakthrough
A YORK dad whose son was diagnosed with an extremely rare form of a life-limiting illness has welcomed news of a medical breakthrough.
Sid Gornall, who lives in Holgate, has welcomed the publication of new research highlighting the early success of mitochondrial donation – a pioneering form of IVF designed to reduce the transmission of certain types of mitochondrial disease.
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As The Press has previously reported, his son Bill, who is now 13 and goes to Manor CE School, was diagnosed with mitochondrial disease MELAS in 2020, a rare disorder that begins in childhood and mostly affects the nervous system and muscles.
Bill Gornall (Image: Supplied) "The news of the breakthrough in mitochondrial donation was incredibly moving to hear," said Sid.
"It gives much needed hope to any families who have children battling this devastating disease but also gives great hope for parents who have lost children.
"All of the fundraising is in the hope that one day a treatment or a cure will be found. This weekend we will spend time with other families supported by the Lily Foundation and celebrate this incredible breakthrough and strengthen our resolve to spread the word about mitochondrial disease and continue fundraising to find a cure."
Sid Gornall has fundraised for the Lily Foundation (Image: Supplied) The Lily Foundation is the UK's leading mitochondrial disease charity, and says the technique offers the potential for parents to have healthy, genetically related children without passing on faulty mitochondrial DNA.
Liz Curtis, founder and CEO of the Surrey-based charity, said: 'After years of waiting, we now know that eight babies have been born using this technique, all showing no signs of mitochondrial disease. For many affected families, it's the first real hope of breaking the cycle of this inherited condition.'
Mitochondrial disease is caused by faults in the mitochondria – tiny structures within cells that produce over 90 per cent of the body's energy. Every year, around one baby in 5000 is born with mitochondrial DNA mutations that can cause the disease. Despite years of research, there is currently no cure.
Mitochondrial donation works by transferring the nuclear DNA from an affected woman's egg into a healthy donor egg with functioning mitochondria. The technique remains in the early stages and long-term outcomes are still being studied.
However, this new research from the Newcastle University-based team who first pioneered the technique marks a significant milestone in what has been a years-long journey of scientific innovation, ethical debate and policy development.
'At its heart, mitochondrial donation is about choice,' said Ms Curtis.
'This breakthrough gives families more options to have healthy children and is a powerful reminder that mitochondrial research is moving forward – and hope is very much alive.'
Bill and his dad, Sid (Image: Supplied)
