Take time to learn about rare diseases

I am writing to alert readers to observe World Rare Disease Day on Feb. 29. In the United States, a disease is considered rare if it affects fewer than 200,000 people. Some rare diseases such as Lou Gehrig’s disease (ALS) are well-known to the public, but many others like Stargardt’s (juvenile macular degeneration), which affects our granddaughter, are not. You can imagine the challenges of having a vision-robbing progressive disease that most people have never heard of and currently has no cure. She is only 6 years old and her vision is 20/60 now, but she will eventually become legally blind if we don’t find a cure.

Luckily, the Foundation Fighting Blindness funds cutting-edge research that will lead to trials and possibly a cure for Stargardt’s disease. The foundation is working to raise awareness through World Rare Disease Day. Their efforts give us great hope for our granddaughter and many others affected by this disease and other rare retinal diseases. I encourage readers to visit www.FightBlindness.org/RDD to learn more about World Rare Disease Day and to see how affected individuals are expressing themselves.

Jim and Pat Archer

Mount Prospect