According to NORD, the National Organization for Rare Disorders, in the United States, any disease that affects fewer than 200,000 people is considered to be a rare disease. There are nearly 7,000 rare diseases.

There are countless diseases you probably have never heard of, but you may be surprised to know these are considered rare.

• Alzheimer’s
• Cerebral Palsy
• Cystic Fibrosis
• Measles
• Multiple Myeloma
• Multiple Sclerosis

Although each disorder alone affects a small number of patients, together they impact nearly 30 million Americans — that’s about one in every 10 people. Two-thirds of these are children.

Raising awareness about rare diseases is an ongoing commitment of NORD, Mackenzie’s Mission, and other organizations. Through these efforts, it is our hope that these diseases become better known, more easily diagnosed, receive expanded funding towards improving treatment methods, and ultimately are cured.

At Mackenzie’s Mission we are working hard to elevate the awareness of Amyloidosis and find a cure.