Getting around
Foot and lower-leg weakness may cause foot drop, tripping, or balance difficulties. Some people use braces or mobility aids.
A student-led awareness initiativeA little awareness.
A little awareness.
A lasting
difference.
Let’s make Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease better understood. Learn about CMT, find trusted support, and help move research forward.
3M+people worldwide live with CMT.Source: Charcot–Marie–Tooth Association ↗
Understand the conditionConnect with supportHelp advance research
Our community giving goal
Together, let’s reach $2,000.
Help support CMT research and patient programs. Every donation reported by our community brings our goal closer.
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Students with a
shared purpose.
We are Vrinda Panjwani, Alexandra Rossi, and Anika Durgavarjhula, students at Downingtown West High School. Through our DECA Community Giving Project, we are raising awareness of Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease and encouraging support for the CMT community.
Our website brings together clear information, trusted resources, and opportunities to support CMTA research and patient programs.
01
Our team
Vrinda Panjwani
Alexandra Rossi
Anika Durgavarjhula
02
Our project
Community Giving Project · DECA
Downingtown West High School
03
Website created and managed by
Vrinda Panjwani
A nerve condition.
A very human impact.
Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease is a group of genetic conditions affecting peripheral nerves—the connections between the brain and spinal cord and the rest of the body.
CMT can affect movement and sensation. Its effects differ from person to person, even within the same family.
Learn more: NIH / NINDS CMT overview ↗
01
Often inherited. CMT can run in families, but new genetic changes can also occur without a family history.
02
Different for everyone. Weakness, reduced sensation, balance difficulties, fatigue, and pain can affect daily life in different ways.
03
Care makes a difference. There is currently no cure. Individualized care can help people manage symptoms and maintain function.
Source: CMTA: What is CMT? ↗
02 / Beyond the diagnosisDaily life looks different
Daily life looks different
for everyone.
Understanding the challenges is a first step toward a more supportive community.
The small things
Hand weakness can make fine movements—such as fastening buttons or writing—more difficult.
What you can’t see
Numbness, pain, and reduced awareness of temperature can be part of CMT. A person’s symptoms may not be visible.
Medical source: NIH / NINDS ↗
03 / Finding a way forwardConcerned about
Concerned about
possible symptoms?
Start with a healthcare professional. Similar symptoms can have different causes; a website cannot diagnose CMT.
This site provides general education, not a diagnosis or a personal treatment plan.
Explore CMTA’s care directory ↗Talk with your clinician
Discuss symptoms and family history. A neurologist may help evaluate suspected CMT.
Understand the evaluation
Testing may include nerve conduction studies, electromyography (EMG), and genetic testing.
Make a personalized care plan
Physical or occupational therapy, braces, pain treatment, and sometimes surgery may help. Ask your care team which options suit you.
04 / You don’t have to navigate it aloneGood information.
Good information.
Real connections.
A starting point for individuals, families, and anyone who wants to learn.
Understand the basics
CMTA’s introduction to CMT, its symptoms, and how diagnosis works.
Find specialist careExplore CMTA’s directory, including Centers of Excellence and clinicians.
Explore community resourcesFind educational information and support through the Charcot–Marie–Tooth Association.
Read a trusted health guideMedlinePlus brings together CMT information and links from health organizations.
05 / Turn awareness into actionCan’t make an event?
Can’t make an event?
You can still show up.
An online donation is another way to support CMT research and patient programs, wherever you are.
Support the CMTA
The Charcot–Marie–Tooth Association supports research, education, and community programs for people living with CMT.
Donate directly to CMTA ↗Already donated? Report your donation ↓
You’ll leave this site to donate on CMTA’s official platform. This website does not collect payments. General donations are not automatically credited to our student project.
Help us measure our impactAlready donated?
Already donated?
Let us know!
This optional form helps our student team track our impact. Your donation is processed separately by CMTA.
Keep the conversation going.
Is CMT contagious?
No. CMT is a genetic condition, so it does not spread through contact. Learn about its genetic causes ↗
Is there a cure for CMT?
There is currently no cure, but care can help with symptoms, and research is ongoing. Read the NINDS overview ↗
How can I help without donating?
Share reliable resources, learn about CMT, and ask people what support would help them. Awareness starts with a conversation.