“Hello, I am Aarav Mehta, and I was officially diagnosed with Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease when I was 17 years old. Looking back, the condition had probably been affecting me since childhood, but I only started noticing something was wrong around the age of 14.

At first, it was subtle. I kept tripping while playing cricket with my friends. Everyone joked that I was just clumsy, and honestly, I believed that too. But over time, I realized my ankles felt unusually weak. Running became harder, especially during school sports events. I also noticed that the arches of my feet looked higher than everyone else’s.

By the time I reached Class 11, climbing stairs had started feeling exhausting. I could not balance properly on uneven roads, and my legs would tire much faster than before. My parents took me to several doctors before a neurologist finally explained that the weakness and muscle wasting in my lower legs were signs of Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease.

The diagnosis answered many questions, but it was also difficult to hear that the condition was progressive and inherited. Since then, I have been managing it with physiotherapy, supportive footwear, and regular monitoring.”

“Hi, my name is Nandini Rao. I am 22 years old now, but I was diagnosed with Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease when I was 16.

For years before the diagnosis, I had strange symptoms that nobody could fully explain. I remember struggling with handwriting during middle school because my fingers would cramp easily. Around the age of 13, I also started feeling numbness in my feet after standing for long periods.

At first, my family thought it was due to poor posture or weakness from studying too much indoors. But things became more noticeable when I entered high school. I had trouble keeping up during dance practice because my feet felt stiff and unstable. Sometimes I could not even feel small injuries on my toes.

When I was 16, I finally underwent nerve conduction studies and genetic testing. That was when the doctors diagnosed Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease. I remember feeling relieved and frightened at the same time. Relieved because there was finally an explanation, and frightened because I learned there was no permanent cure.

Today, I still experience weakness in my hands and feet, but therapy and exercise routines have helped me maintain independence."

“Hello, my name is Priya Kulkarni, and I was diagnosed with Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease when I was 15 years old.

In my case, the symptoms started early, but they became noticeable only after puberty. Around the age of 12 or 13, I began having difficulty keeping my balance during badminton matches at school. My feet would sometimes feel strangely numb, especially in winter.

As the years passed, I noticed increasing weakness in my ankles. I could not run properly anymore, and I frequently twisted my feet while walking. My parents initially thought it was because I was physically inactive during the pandemic years, but physiotherapy alone did not improve anything.

One doctor eventually noticed the characteristic shape of my feet and suggested neurological testing. After several examinations, I received the diagnosis of Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease at 15.

The hardest part was realizing that the condition would progress slowly over time. But learning about it early also helped me adapt sooner. I now focus on strength training, mobility exercises, and maintaining as much physical function as possible.”