WHEREAS it is the intention of the Mayor and Council of Cherry Hill Township to focus attention on noteworthy occasions and individuals; and

WHEREAS tonight, we wish to recognize and honor Cherry Hill native, Sydney Breslow, and her family, for spreading awareness of Mitochondrial Disease in our community; and

WHEREAS Sydney Breslow was diagnosed with a mitochondrial disorder at the age of eight; and

WHEREAS Mitochondrial Disease is an inherited chronic illness that causes debilitating physical, developmental, and mental disabilities. Anyone is vulnerable; you can be born with it or it can develop later in life. The disease is progressive and there is no cure; and

WHEREAS one in 2,000 children are born with Mitochondrial Disease each year; in recent years, an increasing number of adults are being diagnosed with the disease; and

WHEREAS in 2016, Sydney Breslow and her family organized the first Cousins for a Cure event after their family tragically lost Sydney’s cousin, Logan Sloane Aronson. Determined to turn their loss into something positive, Logan’s parents requested the family establish a research fund with the United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation in memory of Logan, and in honor of Sydney; and

WHEREAS the UMDF’s mission is to promote research and education for the diagnosis, treatment and cure of Mitochondrial Disease, and to provide support to affected individuals and families. Since its founding in 1996, the UMDF has made significant progress in raising awareness of primary mitochondrial disease, empowering those affected and those providing treatments, leading to quicker diagnoses, improved treatments and better coordinated research efforts; and

WHEREAS the Cousins for a Cure Gala has raised more than $200,000 for the Logan Sloane Aaronson Research Fund with the UMDF in Honor of Sydney Breslow and continues to focus on educating the community about Mitochondrial Diseases.  

NOW, THEREFORE, I, CHUCK CAHN, by virtue of the authority vested in me as Mayor of the Township of Cherry Hill, County of Camden, State of New Jersey, do hereby wish to proclaim Thursday, November 15, 2018, to be

Mitochondrial Disease Awareness Day 

in honor of Sydney Leigh Breslow and

in memory of Logan Sloane Aronson 

in the Township of Cherry Hill and do urge all citizens to join with me and the members of Township Council in helping to spread awareness of the signs and symptoms of Mitochondrial Disease throughout our community, and to honor and recognize Sydney for her continued efforts to help find a cure.