A video 9 years in the making

Nine years ago, I was introduced to a condition called Mitochondrial Disease. The first thing I did was search YouTube for information. At that time, there were very few videos about the illness. I desperately wished I had the medical knowledge and the technology smarts to create my own video. The challenge was set.

As the weeks, months and years passed, videos were made to celebrate Mitochondrial Disease Awareness Week. Sometimes the videos were no more than photos of people who had Mitochondrial Disease. Others had basic information, but there seemed always to be errors in the videos. I told myself if only I could create a video, I would make one which included not only photos of those with Mitochondrial Disease, but it would give information about the disease and highlight what life is like for a person with Mito.

After creating my YouTube channel in April, I knew the video I most wanted to make was a film for Mitochondrial Disease Awareness Week. As the weeks rolled by, I was constantly writing and re-writing the script in my head. I then sought photos from those who had Mito to include in the video. After endless hours editing photos and creating slides for the video, finally everything was done. I just had to record the audio voice over as I filmed the slideshow on my computer. It was one last major task before the video was complete.

In the weeks leading up to the final filming of the video, I had been extremely sick. I kept begging God to let me live to create this video. I had put in so much effort and energy; I needed to finish the project. Thankfully, God heard my pleas and allowed me to keep on keeping on. When recording the final product, I was feeling very poorly--my chest hurt, I was short of breath and I had absolutely no energy. But through the magic of editing, the media creation was finished. I uploaded the video to YouTube and set the release date of the video to be on the first day of Mitochondrial Disease Awareness Week (Sunday, September 13). I praised God this endeavor of nine years was complete.

I hope and pray my Mitochondrial Disease Awareness video is able to help those struggling with the disease find community. I also desire the film to help the world understand one more medical condition...a medical condition which affects thousands of people every year and sadly kills so many precious lives.

At the end of the video, I dedicate the film to my two dear friends who passed away from Mitochondrial Disease. Although I wish neither one of them was afflicted by this miserable health malady, I am forever grateful for their friendship and for God allowing our paths to cross. May there soon be a cure for Mitochondrial Disease.