May 2024 Newsletter
Meet Dr. Salena Cui
Dear Friends…
Many of the doctors and researchers working with The Mitchell and Friends Foundation do so because of the bond they developed with Patient #1, Mitchell Herndon. Having met him, they wanted to carry on his legacy.
But even doctors who have never met Mitchell are compelled by the cause. This includes Dr. Salena Cui (pronounced “tsway”), a Resident Physician in the Neurology Department at Washington University, and one of the key researchers investigating Mitchell Syndrome. Dr. Cui was kind enough to visit with Matt and Michele Herndon over drinks at Yellowbelly in the Central West End, so that we could get to know her and discuss her role in the research.
Originally from Ottawa, Dr. Cui completed her undergraduate at Harvard, attended medical school at Thomas Jefferson, and then moved to St. Louis for her medical residency. She chose neurology because, as she describes it, “neurology embodies what I most love about medicine, which is a simultaneous demand for a strong scientist and humanist.” The unanswered questions in neurology keep her humble and motivated. Neurology “sheds light on the human experience and makes life beautiful. I feel like I’ll never stop growing as a person and physician in this field.”
Dr. Cui is in the third year of her neurology residency and planning to complete a neuromuscular fellowship afterwards. As part of her residency, she was asked by Dr. Robert Bucelli, a Mitchell and Friends Scientific Advisor, to help lead the Retrospective Natural History Study into Mitchell Syndrome. This study—which is in the “chart review” phase—gathers medical information from all known Mitchell Syndrome patients, alive and deceased. With this information we can plan future studies and consider possible treatments.
There are a lot of medical causes that Dr. Cui could assist with. Why this one? The Wash U resident says that she was inspired by what she learned about both Mitchell and his providers. Also, “I was curious about this newly defined, neurodegenerative disorder with still so many unanswered questions. As I learned more, I realized that this is an important time to advance awareness and understanding of Mitchell Syndrome.” She’s grateful to work with the team that is both seeking to understand the clinical spectrum of this disorder and laying the ground for future research.
It was a privilege and joy to meet Dr. Cui as both a physician and person. She loves her colleagues at Wash U, loves running in Forest Park, and loves playing classical piano. (She also loves eating fried oysters at Yellowbelly, which she insisted we try, which we did, to middling reviews.)
For as long as Dr. Cui is at Wash U in St. Louis, we are honored to have her involved in the research. With experts like her, and others working hard around the country, we can defeat this, the rarest of rare diseases.
Sincerely,
Matt and Michele Herndon with The Mitchell and Friends Foundation
A grainy picture of the Herndons and Dr. Cui at Yellowbelly in the Central West End, margarita in hand, getting updates on research into Mitchell Syndrome.
Prom Night!
How great is it to see Mitchell-Kids Trey and Michael living their lives and having fun, AND LOOKIN' GOOD DOIN' IT! Trey live in Hattiesburg, MS, and Michael in Katy, TX. With different kinds of medical treatments, therapy, and assistive devices, both Michael and Trey are doing great as they cope with Mitchell Syndrome. We're sure they had a great night at prom this year, and hope that lots of Mitchell Syndrome kiddos get to enjoy a lot more proms. (Special thanks to dates and sibs for permission to use these pix.)
