Help is on the Way - Mary Summers - 9/13/19

Mitochondrial Disease can impact in many ways both an individual and everyone who cares for them:

• Health care needs
• Emotional support
• Basic needs
• Community Services

Join us as we review the range of programs and services that can help to lessen the toll of this diagnosis, and also to hear from YOU:  what has made a difference for you and your family!

About The Speaker

Mary Castro-Summers

Mary is the parent of 3 adult sons.  Her youngest son was born with complex health needs.  For the past 30 years, she has relied on research skills honed as a paralegal with her personal and then professional work experience with the New England Regional Genetics Group, the FIRST Project at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, Family TIES of Massachusetts, and now Franciscan Children’s in Brighton, MA.  

As a member of the committee that reviews applications for The Marcel’s Way Family Fund at MitoAction for the past 5 years, Mary has learned of the impact of mitochondrial disease and has assisted many families in finding local community resources to address their needs.

Mary is passionate about community resource information-sharing and making connections among families supporting children and adults who have special health care needs.  She was personally supported by others and enjoys packing back those acts of kindness.  Her motto in this work is, “you may be caring for your loved one by yourself, but you should never feel alone.”