COMMbits launches online portal for people with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease.

COMMbits has launched a brand new web presence with the name of CMTWorld, as the first step towards reaching out to patients around the world suffering with a little-known disease named Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT).

This debilitating disease with no known cure affects more than 5 million people throughout the world. The disease is a form of hereditary motor-sensory neuropathy which affects the motor and sensory units of the peripherial nervous system, causing weakness and eventual atrophy in various parts of the body, including the feet, legs, hands and diaphragm. Not only is there no cure for this serious disorder, but to date there is also no real treatment available to patients suffering from the disease. The outcome means that anyone affected by CMT will eventually face serious physical weakness and complete physical disability.

CMTWorld is a registered, charitable organization dedicated to presenting information, resources, support, products and services for all those living with CMT, no matter where they live worldwide. The charity exists to help all CMT patients to live better lives in spite of the many serious challenges that the disease can impose. In addition, CMTWorld helps to celebrate the spirit, courage and mutual respect of many patients with CMT disease. Indeed, the message behind the organzation serves to champion the determination and strength of character exhibited by many patients who have inspiring stories to tell.

The driving force behind this amazing organization is Susan Wheeler, who serves as Executive Director of CMTWorld] and who also single-handedly edits and publishes a world-renowned bi-monthly magazine - CMT…today – that is sent out to patients all over the world. The magazine serves a critical role for many CMT patients as the sole source of information, resources, advice and support on how to cope with the difficult disease. Now, Susan has initiated the next evolutionary step for CMTWorld through a project initiative with COMMbits to develop a dynamic, interactive state-of-the-art web presence to reach out to CMT patients in a much more supportive and sophisticated way.

The new web presence carries with it a number of cutting-edge technology components that together play a significant role in helping CMTWorld to become the authority for supporting CMT patients anywhere in the world. These components include the COMMbits e-Publisher Online Article Management System as well as a powerful eCommerce website solution. Now, CMT patients are able to make membership and support donations directly and instantly to CMTWorld through a simple, user-friendly yet fully secure online credit card payment processing interface. In addition, with the power of the e-Publisher system, CMT patients can access a state-of-the-art, dynamic virtual library of the latest research, medical information and advice on how best to minimize the debilitating effects of CMT disease.

CMTWorld is a perfect example of how a non-profit, charitable organization is able to utilize information, communication and technology to reach out to a special worldwide community that otherwise would not have access to such critical research, medical information and support. Bravo CMTWorld for your vision, your dedication and your commitment to really making a difference in peoples’ lives.

UPDATE: January, 2005: The CMTWorld.org web site has merged with the web site of the Hereditary Neuropathy Foundation of New York.