Community Impact

Rosalind and Stephen Atkins remember their sons with pride.

Creative writing, history, humanities, and literature were Michael Atkins’ passions. Michael wanted to become an English teacher but, because of his mitochondrial disease, he was unable to proceed beyond student teaching. Michael earned the Joslin Prize at Brown University for his advocacy for people with disabilities, an award given to a select group of seniors whose contributions to the quality of student life are exemplary.

His brother, Joshua, loved science. He graduated college with academic honors in biology and nearly completed a PhD program in neuroscience. His goal was to work on the science of the mitochondria.  Joshua earned the Bensinger Prize at Davenport College, Yale.

Both young men were diagnosed in 1999 with Ataxia Neuropathy Spectrum Disorder/SANDO. Michael lost his battle with mitochondrial disease in 2011. Joshua passed away from the illness in 2017.

“Both of our sons received help all along their journeys: from family and friends, from the medical community, from their schools and colleges, and from the UMDF, which works to combat this devastating illness in so many ways,” Rosalind said.

Their parents first learned of UMDF from a physician, who stated clearly that they needed more than local support and could find it through UMDF. The family attended several Mitochondrial Medicine conferences.

“UMDF’s generous support of the needs of patient families is outstanding,” Rosalind said. She was impressed with the interaction between patients and the education about the illness by mitochondrial medical experts at each annual session.

In honor of their two sons, and to help the UMDF fund its areas of greatest need, the Atkins have generously dedicated a planned gift in Michael and Joshua’s memory. By naming UMDF as a beneficiary of their estate, the Atkins have established a legacy in making a difference for the patient families the UMDF serves.