(StatePoint) Millions of Americans will join others around the world this month in observing Rare Disease Day (February 28). They hope to help draw attention to rare diseases and the unique challenges faced by the nearly 30 million Americans affected by them.
“Rare disease patients worldwide face many similar challenges, but because their conditions are so rare, they often feel alone and isolated,” said Peter L. Saltonstall, President and CEO of the National Organization for Rare Disorders. “By standing together and sharing our experiences with rare diseases, we can more effectively address these challenges and build a better world for rare disease patients.”
kAmx? E96 &?:E65 $E2E6D[ 2 5:D62D6 :D 4@?D:56C65 C2C6 :7 :E 27764ED 76H6C E92? a__[___ A6@A=6] q642FD6 @7 E96 C2C:EJ @7 E96:C 4@?5:E:@?D[ A2E:6?ED >2J @7E6? 36 492==6?865 E@ 7:?5 :?7@C>2E:@?[ DFAA@CE[ 2?5 <?@H=658623=6 5@4E@CD] uFCE96C>@C6[ :E @7E6? E2<6D 7:G6 J62CD @C =@?86C E@ C646:G6 2? 244FC2E6 5:28?@D:D @7 2 C2C6 5:D62D6] p44@C5:?8 E@ E96 }2E:@?2= x?DE:EFE6D @7 w62=E9[ E96C6 2C6 23@FE f___ :56?E:7:65 C2C6 5:D62D6D[ g_ A6C46?E @7 H9:49 2C6 86?6E:4]k^Am
kAm~?6 DF49 C2C6 5:D62D6 :D rCJ@AJC:?\pDD@4:2E65 !6C:@5:4 $J?5C@>6D Wrp!$X – 2 D6C:@FD[ =:76=@?8 2FE@:?7=2>>2E@CJ 5:D62D6 27764E:?8 23@FE @?6 :? @?6 >:==:@? A6@A=6 :? E96 &?:E65 $E2E6D] q642FD6 E96C6 2C6 D@ 76H rp!$ A2E:6?ED[ @?=:?6 C6D@FC46D A=2J 2? :>A@CE2?E C@=6 :? F?:E:?8 E96 4@>>F?:EJ] k2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^rp!$r@??64ED&D]4@>Qmrp!$r@??64ED&D]4@>k^2m[ 2 ?6H 65F42E:@?2= (63 D:E6 7C@> }@G2CE:D !92C>246FE:42=D r@CA@C2E:@?[ 6?23=6D rp!$ A2E:6?ED :? E96 &?:E65 $E2E6D E@ k2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^HHH]42AD4@??64EDFD]4@>^C2C6Qm4@??64Ek^2m @?=:?6 E@ D92C6 E96:C DE@C:6D[ 6?4@FC286>6?E[ 2?5 25G:46 23@FE >2?28:?8 52:=J 492==6?86D]k^Am
kAms2G6 rC2H7@C5 @7 s2==2D <?@HD 7:CDE92?5 E96 :>A@CE2?46 @7 D92C:?8 9:D DE@CJ H:E9 @E96CD] w6 H2D 5:28?@D65 H:E9 rp!$ :? a_`_ 27E6C DF776C:?8 7C@> E96 A2:?7F=[ >JDE6C:@FD DJ>AE@>D D:?46 49:=59@@5] w6 D92C65 9:D DE@CJ H:E9 9:D 9@>6E@H? ?6HDA2A6C =2DE J62C 2?5 H2D 4@?E24E65 3J 2 =@42= >2? H9@ 925 C625 23@FE 9:D 6IA6C:6?46] w6 6IA=2:?65 E92E 96 2?5 D6G6C2= 72>:=J >6>36CD 925 366? 6IA6C:6?4:?8 E96 D2>6 DJ>AE@>D E92E rC2H7@C5 925 56D4C:365 E96:C H9@=6 =:G6D[ 2?5 7@==@H:?8 2 C676CC2= E@ rC2H7@C5’D A9JD:4:2?[ E96 >2? H2D 2=D@ 5:28?@D65 H:E9 rp!$]k^Am
kAm“x E2<6 6G6CJ @AA@CEF?:EJ E@ DA62< @FE 23@FE rp!$[ 2?5 :E’D 2 8C62E 766=:?8 E@ <?@H E92E >J DE@CJ 96=A65 @E96CD E@ 86E 2 4@CC64E 5:28?@D:D[” D2:5 rC2H7@C5] “x C6>6>36C E96 7CFDEC2E:@? @7 4@A:?8 H:E9 E96 52:=J DJ>AE@>D 2?5 ?@E <?@H:?8 H92E 42FD65 E96>[ 2?5 x’> 8=25 x 4@F=5 96=A 6?5 E92E >JDE6CJ 7@C 2?@E96C 72>:=J]”k^Am
kAmu@C >@C6 E92? d_ J62CD[ s2G6 rC2H7@C5 6IA6C:6?465 52:=J C65 3F>AJ C2D96D[ 76G6CD[ 4@?;F?4E:G:E:D[ 96252496D[ ;@:?E DH6==:?8[ 2?5 >FD4=6 2496D] %96 DJ>AE@>D @7E6? @44FCC65 27E6C 6IA@DFC6 E@ 4@=5 @C 52>A 2:C[ 3FE 2=D@ 7=2C65 DA@?E2?6@FD=J] w:D >@E96C[ 8C2?5>@E96C[ 2?5 8C62E\8C2?5>@E96C 925 2=D@ =:G65 H:E9 E96 D2>6 A2:?7F= DJ>AE@>D[ 3FE ?6G6C C646:G65 2 5:28?@D:D]k^Am
kAm“rp!$ :D EC62E23=6[ 3FE @7E6? >:D5:28?@D65 @C F?5:28?@D65 3642FD6 76H A9JD:4:2?D 2C6 72>:=:2C H:E9 :E[ 2?5 :ED DJ>AE@>D 42? C6D6>3=6 >@C6 4@>>@? 4@?5:E:@?D[” D2:5 sC] q2C32C2 q2IE6C[ 2? 2==6C8:DE :? s2==2D] “#2C6 5:D62D6 A2E:6?ED 2C6 @7E6? F?5:28?@D65 7@C J62CD[ 2?5 244FC2E6=J 5:28?@D:?8 2 A2E:6?E H9@ 92D 366? DECF88=:?8 E@ 86E 2?DH6CD :D @?6 @7 E96 >@DE C6H2C5:?8 6IA6C:6?46D 7@C 2 5@4E@C]”k^Am
kAm':D:E k2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^HHH]42AD4@??64EDFD]4@>^C2C6Qmrp!$r@??64ED&$]4@>k^2m E@ D66 2 G:56@ @7 rC2H7@C5’D ;@FC?6J 2?5 E@ =62C? >@C6 23@FE rp!$] k^Am
kA DEJ=6lQE6IE\2=:8?i 46?E6CjQmkDA2? DEJ=6lQ=:?6\96:89Ei ``dTj 7@?E\72>:=JiQmYYYYYk^DA2?mk^Am
kAm!9@E@ rC65:Ei W4X >2?8@DE@4< \ k2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^u@E@=:2]4@>Qmu@E@=:2]4@>k^2mk^Am
kAmk:>8 DC4lQ9EEAi^^7665D]DE2E6A@:?E]?6E^E@H??6HD^A=246>6?E]2D9InEl4U2>Aj:5lb___Q ^mk^Am