A bill before federal parliament would legalise IVF technology to prevent a rare genetic disorder – mitochondrial disease. In Australia, about one child a week is born with a severe form of mitochondrial disease, and many of those children will die before they turn five. While this bill has cross-party support, some MPs are opposed to it and it has also stoked controversy with religious groups. Laura Murphy-Oates speaks to reporter Rafqa Touma about her family’s experience with mitochondrial disease and the push to legalise mitochondrial donation