What are “rare diseases?”

In the United States, a “rare disease” is defined as a condition that affects less than 200,000 people at any given time. In Europe however, a diseases is classified as rare when it affects fewer than 1 in 2,000 people.

Rare diseases became known as orphan diseases because so few people have any one rare disease that pharmaceutical companies do not develop drugs to help cure them. There may be as many as 7,000 different rare diseases in America, meaning nearly 25-30 million people are living with them. However, it is hard to determine the exact number of orphan diseases because most of them are not tracked.

How can I help?

There are various ways that you can help to further our mission in helping these families. A few specific ways are:

• Donate to our foundation so we can continue to provide RDFF families with moments of respite during their journey.

• Donate your time as a volunteer at our events.

• Donate your services and/or skills for our families to utilize.

• Any other way you can think of to Lend a Helping Hand.

Is RDFF a 501c (3)?

Yes! We are a 501c (3) Non-Profit Organization, which means your donations are tax deductible.