As part of the United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation’s Grand Rounds program, we are pleased to invite you to a special meeting for affected individuals and their families to provide education and information about mitochondrial disease. Family meetings are also suitable for outreach to nurses, therapists, educators, and various allied health professionals.  
The format for the family meeting provides time for questions and answers.
Light refreshments will be provided and children are also invited.
 
Speaker:

Dr.  Parikh is a neurometabolic and neurogenetics Staff Clinician at Cleveland Clinic. He specializes in the evaluation, diagnosis and treatment of developmental delay,neurodegeneration and metabolic disease. Dr. Parikh is the Co-Director of the Cleveland Clinic Mitochondrial Clinic and the Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome Clinic. His clinical interests include the diagnosis and treatment of patients with mitochondrial cytopathies, inborn errors of metabolism, cognitive and developmental regression and developmental delays. Dr. Parikh's research and publications focus on improving the diagnosis and management of mitochondrial disease, identifying genetic etiologies of epilepsy,  developmental delays in children, and neurodegenerative diseases and improving patient and physician knowledge of metabolic and genetic diseases.  Dr. Parikh completed his residency in pediatrics and fellowship in child neurology at the Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh. He received additional training in genetics and metabolism at Cleveland Clinic and Centers for Inherited Diseases of Metabolism. In 2008, Dr. Parikh was selected as one of "America's Best Doctors."  He serves as a medical advisor to the United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation and Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome Association. He is on the scientific planning committee of the Child Neurology Society, and serves on both the Cleveland Clinic Child Advocacy Board and Autism Standards Committee. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Neurology, and an affiliate specialist in the American College of Medical Genetics, Society for Inherited Metabolic Disease, Society for Study of Inborn Errors of Metabolism and the National Rett Syndrome Foundation.

Among the topics to be discussed by Dr. Parikh:
- the role of mitochondrial function and dysfunction in health and disease.
- basics of therapy for mitochondrial disorders.

Speaker:

Kara started her journey with the United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation (UMDF) in 1997 as the first employee. After six years of employment with local government prior to 1997, she was excited to put her education and experience to work -- in hopes of making a difference in the lives of those affected by mitochondrial disease. Kara has enjoyed many roles at the foundation -- member services, data entry, fundraising, meeting planning, marketing, communications, etc. In 2007, Kara accepted the position of Director of Chapter and Member Services and works closely with the patients and families who are the driving force in continuing the UMDF Mission.

The UMDF International Symposium is her favorite support function of the Foundation. Kara has headed up the programming for the patient/family meetings for the symposium for more than five years as well as managing the scientific meetings.  “There is absolutely nothing more empowering than witnessing the networking and interactions that occur during the symposium -- between patients, families, staff, volunteers, and the scientific/medical community.  Everyone walks away with vital information and a strong network to continue the UMDF Mission.  Speaking to families one-on-one is priceless for all of our staff during symposium week and we look forward to it every year.”  Kara has a BA in communication arts from Ohio Northern University and a MA in mass communications from the University of Akron.