3 Things You Can Do for Rare Disease Day

Research estimates that 1 in 17 people will experience the symptoms of a rare disease in their lifetime. Collectively, these individuals represent a large population, however, separately they are in desperate need of representation in research and healthcare.

Rare Disease Day, on February 29th, helps to bring these issues to light, as the global community comes together to raise awareness of the impact of rare diseases. Even if you aren’t a scientist with any magic cures, there’s still a lot you can do to participate:

1. Sign up for the Rare Disease Day Thunderclap campaignHelp inform the wider public about Rare Disease Day. By joining the Rare Disease Day thunderclap campaign with your social media accounts, you can be one of many simultaneous posts to go up at midday on Rare Disease Day. In numbers, we can bring substantial awareness to the cause.

2. Share your own story on social mediaIt’s important these individuals suffering from rare diseases know that they are not alone. By sharing your story, you can not only raise awareness, but also potentially connect with someone dealing with a similar struggle.

3. Advocate to your representativesThere are several lobbying initiatives such as Rare Disease Week on Capitol Hill. These groups are always looking for more support to show the government how important this subject is.

JScreen is proud to support Rare Disease Day. Please join us as we work to raise awareness about diseases common in Jewish and other populations.

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