September is recognized as Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT) Awareness Month. Although this illness is one of the most widespread inherited genetic disorders, there is still a significant need to spread awareness among the medical community and the general public. Both the Charcot-Marie-Tooth Association (CMTA) and the Hereditary Neuropathy Foundation (HNF) are organizing campaigns around the event.

The CMTA’s campaign is called #LetsBeatCMT and it’s ready to take over your social media feed! Are you or a loved one living with CMT? Share your photos and videos with the hashtag to help contribute. Learn more about this campaign and access the social media toolkit here.

Meanwhile, HNF is kicking off a campaign called #CMTSpeakOut. Patients are encouraged to speak out and share their journey through diagnosis and treatment. This campaign includes profile picture frames, tagging the HNF in your social posts, and using the #CMTSpeakOut and #CMTWeGotThis hashtags. Learn more about this campaign here.

About Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease

Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease is a hereditary disorder of the peripheral nervous system. It is most characterized by a progressive loss of touch sensation and muscle tissue in several different parts of the body. The cause of this disease is usually linked to a genetic mutation, but the mutation involved varies depending on the variant of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease. There are multiple types of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, with all types aside from type 2 having a demyelination effect. Type 2 causes damage to the neuronal axon instead. Symptoms include foot drop, muscle wasting (typically in the arms, legs, and hands), painful muscle spasms, loss of sensation in the limbs, scoliosis, trouble speaking, chewing, swallowing, and tremors. Treatment typically includes therapy and surgery in order to maintain function. There is no cure. The disease can occur early in life or as late as the 30s and 40s. To learn more about Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, click here.