Rocco Baldelli wins the pennant ... with mitochondrial disease!

Kate forwarded me the following email from Donna and Norman Pulliam, big advocates for mitochondrial disease. Amazing.

As you all know, we are passionate about promoting awareness of Mitochondrial Disease. As supporters of the Caroline Virginia Mitochondrial Disease Fund we want you to know when there are interesting stories of others who are battling a diagnosis of Mitochondrial Disease. Here is the latest story that gives Mitochondrial Disease another face for you to recognize.

Even if you have NO interest in the World Series....we thought we would pass along a little tidbit of interest. The Tampa Bay Rays (who were in LAST place in their division earlier in the season) - have clinched a spot in the World Series by beating the Boston Red Sox.

One of their players, Rocco Baldelli, was diagnosed in the spring with a mitochondrial disease. After making his professional debut a few years ago and being considered one of the top rookies of the year, he battled a series of injuries as well as unexplainable debilitating muscle weakness. He has been doing incredibly well since diagnosis...and has even been playing this summer. And in Sunday night's final game of the American League Championship Series, Baldelli gave everyone a moment to cherish. With the score tied in the fifth inning, he lined a single to leftfield to drive in the eventual winning run in Tampa Bay's 3-1 victory against the Red Sox.

We can't help but pull for the Rays now...and for Rocco! If you would like to learn more about mitochondrial disease or Rocco Baldelli, go to www.umdf.org

Thank you for your continued support of the Caroline Virginia Pulliam Mitochondrial Disease fund. With your help, we are making a meaningful contribution to the research and awareness of Mitochondrial Disease.

Kate and I aren't huge baseball fans, so we weren't aware of this on our own, but we are excited about the heightened awareness this brings to the disease. And we are, of course, excited for Rocco, too.