Rare Disease Day

Rare Disease Day® takes place on the last day of February each year. The main objective of Rare Disease Day is to raise awareness amongst the general public and decision-makers about rare diseases and their impact on patients’ lives. There are so many different ways to get involved on Rare Disease Day!

CdLS Clinic at St. Louis Children’s Hospital

St. Louis Children’s Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri will host their third Cornelia de Lange Syndrome clinic. The specialties in attendance will include the following: ENT, Genetics, Neurology, Orthopedics, Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Nutrition and Social Work. For more information contact Alisicia Jackson.

Transitioning to Adulthood: When the Dependent Child Reaches Adulthood

Parenting is a lifelong process, and it is particularly so for parents of children diagnosed with a serious illness, where the child’s chronological age may not correspond with their developmental age. New challenges emerge as a child grows older and bigger. Pediatric providers or facilities may raise concerns about the ability to continue caring for […]

Multidisciplinary Clinic for Adolescents and Adults

This Foundation-managed, free clinic occurs twice yearly at Greater Baltimore Medical Center (GBMC) in Baltimore, MD. Foundation Medical Director Antonie Kline, M.D., Director of Clinical Genetics at the Harvey Institute for Human Genetics at GBMC, has led these clinics since 2001. Any individual age 12 or older with CdLS can attend with their families. This […]

Transitioning to Adult Care

As rare disease patients approach adulthood, they face the transition from parent-supervised pediatric care to more independent adult models whereby they take ownership of their care. This change can seem daunting for patients and parents, especially when dealing with rare disorders that involve multiple specialists that may be part of a care team. Join us […]

Protected Tomorrows, Parent University: Important Things to Know About Guardianship

Guardianship is a legal process and used when a person can no longer make or communicate safe or sound decisions about his/her person and/or property. Before establishing a guardianship, you might consider other alternatives which we will discussed. What are the alternatives to guardianship? What individual rights are affected by a guardianship? What are the […]

CdLS Awareness Day

CdLS Awareness Day is observed each year in order to shed light on this often misdiagnosed, little-known genetic syndrome. Parents, volunteers and others request official Awareness Day proclamations from governors and local leaders; hang awareness flyers in public places; make presentations to civic groups or health workers; write to their local newspapers; and much more. […]

SFN Dads Virtual Conference

The SFN Dads Virtual Conference is for dads raising children with special needs, interested in:     - developing their fathering skills - gathering resources for their child and family, and - meeting and networking with like- minded dads Some of the guest speakers will include: Mary Anne Ehlert, David Hirsch, Joe Mantegna, Wayne Messmer, and […]