Celebrate Rare Disease Day
Rare Disease Day is an annual observance held on the last day of February, usually the 28th. However, in leap years, such as this one, it falls on the 29th—the rarest day of the year! This year marks the 16th celebration of Rare Disease Day, dedicated to raising global awareness and advocating for social equity, improved healthcare, and better access to diagnosis and treatment for individuals affected by rare diseases. Join us to be a part of the global phenomenon in 2024.
Key Statistics
Your Support Makes A Difference
Rare Disease Day is an opportunity for RG, the rare disease community, and patients worldwide to draw attention and awareness to rare diseases. It also represents an opportunity for everyone to support those living with rare diseases. Your support is vital in the fight to find successful treatments and cures for rare diseases.
Donating to RG in celebration of Rare Disease Day will help bring a brighter future to rare disease patients and their families. Every donation RG receives will help to provide patients access to teams of genomic sequencing experts. Armed with more information about their conditions, and together with RG, patients can face a more certain future.
History of Rare Disease Day
In 2008 EURORDIS, with the Council of National Alliances, launched the first Rare Disease Day on February 29th. The date was significant because it the rarest day on the calendar. The first year saw people participating from 18 countries, exclusively in Europe.
The next year, participation jumped to people in 30 different countries and regions. In just its second year, Rare Disease Day spread out of Europe, and into the United States, Australia, China, and many other countries.
Today, Rare Disease Day is a worldwide phenomenon. This year, 1400+ organizations in more than 100 countries and regions have operated over 600 unique events in celebration and support of the estimated 300 million individuals living with rare diseases worldwide.
Learn more about the history of Rare Disease Day here: https://www.rarediseaseday.org/what-is-rare-disease-day/
Join our community! Together we can achieve our goal of raising $5,000 in 2024. Let’s help patients move closer to understanding their conditions. With your assistance, we can bring hope to families who don’t yet know the best way to help their child.
If you’d like to volunteer with the Rare Genomics Institute, check out our opportunities page here: https://www.raregenomics.org/opportunities
Every donation, no matter how small, makes a difference for people living with rare diseases. You can help struggling families this year. Be a part of a global movement!
Rare Disease Spotlight
Learn about more different types of rare diseases here.