In 2011, Bruce Cohen, MD, joined Akron Children’s to open a program and pursue work in clinical trials to advance mitochondrial medicine at a time when funding for this research was in its infancy. “Frankly, a lot of the large institutions weren’t interested in studying these diseases,” he said. “It wasn’t because it wasn’t important, […]
Family uses movement to help with mitochondrial symptoms
Marianne Paluch knew something was off with her daughter and son when they were young. She noticed her daughter Tori had stiff muscles, would complain of leg pain at night and had other mysterious symptoms. At first, Marianne and Tori’s doctors chalked her symptoms up to growing pains, but it was when her teacher mentioned […]
A family’s journey with MELAS: How one diagnosis led to making a difference for others
It was Denise Schumacher’s son Alex who started her family’s journey with mitochondrial disease. Alex was born in 2003 and right away his parents knew something was off. “He had rapid heart rate and other symptoms, so he was life flighted to Children’s Minneapolis,” explained Denise. Alex’s symptoms led his family on a journey to […]
Maynard Family Foundation establishes chair in neurodevelopmental sciences at Akron Children’s
After every visit to Akron Children’s, philanthropist and Akron business leader Philip H. Maynard would share stories about children he met. “You should’ve seen the kiddos,” he would tell family and co-workers. Phil passed away in 2021, but the Maynard Family Foundation has ensured that its namesake’s concern for children carries on in his absence. […]
Mia’s journey: Much more than Leigh syndrome
When Valenica Soltys’ toddler daughter Mia started stumbling when she walked, she knew something wasn’t right. “She was the most perfect baby,” Valencia said of Mia. “She made all her milestones and did everything ahead of time. She started walking and around 13 months nothing was abnormal. So, there were no red flags for anything. […]
Centers of Excellence continue to grow and develop
In 2020 the hospital began the process of outlining a strategy that would enable the growth of key service lines outside of its current regional market by designating a few select programs as destination Centers of Excellence (COE). According to Tina Sanzone, administrative director, “The goal of the COEs is to provide significant, additional support […]
