The National Charcot-Marie-Tooth Resource Center is ready for CMT Awareness Month! September is our opportunity to spread the word about Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease and deepen public understanding of its impact on so many lives. Most importantly, we engage others in our mission to support people living with CMT, to develop new treatments, and to one day find a cure.

Grassroots CMT Awareness

Mission Happy Feet

The Mattheiss family is hard at work spreading awareness. Sister Kaitlyn has made a video, is creating happy feet bracelets, and maintains a CMT blog. The Hereditary Neuropathy Foundation will be distributing these bracelets as well.

Carter’s Challenge

One young man with CMT plans to participate in his first bike race since receiving his diagnosis. We support you, Carter!

“Our Stories”

Two bloggers are posting daily during CMT Awareness Month about living with Charcot-Marie-Tooth: My Life With CMT and Lenkaland, which also offers podcasts.

Art de Cure

Gretchen Glick, founder of CMTUS, developed and curated this exhibition entirely through networking and grassroots effort. It honors all people who live with Charcot-Marie-Tooth Neuromuscular Disease and aims to build greater public health awareness. Stepping away from the typical awareness event format, the project makes the arts available to all and shows how art heals body, mind, and soul.

National Media CMT Awareness

Public Service Announcements

The National CMT Resource Center is placing ads in prominent national print publications, including New York Magazine, to increase awareness of CMT among the general public.

Education

AANEM Conference

The National CMT Resource Center will provide training for health care professionals at the annual meeting of the American Association of Neuromuscular and Electrodiagnostic Medicine (AANEM), a leading professional group of physicians, technologists, and researchers in neuromuscular medicine. Our experts will present a comprehensive course on Charcot-Marie-Tooth covering pediatric surgery, physiotherapy, exercise and nutrition, bracing, podiatry, and research. A multidisciplinary roundtable discussion on new directions in CMT treatment will follow.

Outreach to Podiatry

For many people with CMT, symptoms first appear in the feet, so that is where we are starting our outreach. We are running an awareness campaign among podiatric professionals and will host a meeting of podiatrists in New York City on September 27th to engage them in our mission, including educating their patients and colleagues about CMT and the importance of podiatry care and proper footwear.

School Outreach Program

First launched in the 2010-11 school year, our School Outreach Program kicks off again during Awareness Month. We offer free classroom materials and school presentations that get students talking about CMT and disability more broadly. We reached more than 4,000 students at 23 schools last year and aim to double that number this year.

Share Your Awareness Month Story

If you are running CMT Awareness Month campaigns or events, please contact us. We would be happy to help promote your efforts and welcome guest submissions about your CMT Awareness campaign.