Autoimmune Diseases Association CFC # 10548

 (An IRS Accredited 501 (c) (3) Tax Exempt Charity)

AARDA is the only organization dedicated to bringing a national focus to autoimmunity, the major cause of serious chronic diseases. 50 million Americans have an autoimmune disease, that means that most families include someone who is suffering from an autoimmune disease.  Women are affected more often than men, representing 75 percent of those affected. 

Your Donation Makes These Stories Possible:

The young woman, recently diagnosed with the autoimmune disease "lupus" who came to us pregnant and despondent. In questioning her, we discovered a history of miscarriages and suggested she be tested for antiphospholipid syndrome (a little known, but treatable, autoimmune disease that can cause fetal loss). It led to her first successful full-term baby.

The day we intervened for the distraught family of a nine-year-old who was going blind from uveitis (an autoimmune eye disease) by getting him into a research program at the National Institutes of Health.

The 18-year-old girl with acute vasculitis, but without the underlying disease diagnosis needed to properly treat it. We uncovered a family history of "lupus," "CFS," "Graves` disease" and Type I Diabetes, and spotted the necessary puzzle pieces that led to a diagnosis of "Wegener's" disease. She's now getting appropriate treatment and leading a near normal life again.

 Your Donation Makes These Services Possible:

The association sponsors the following programs to address a severe lack of educational information, public awareness, and research into the 100+ autoimmune diseases.

Research
The association funds basic research into autoimmunity as the underlying factor in the majority of serious chronic illnesses. At the present, AARDA provides funding for various research projects and collaborate and support ongoing research with major medical institutions such as Johns Hopkins University and the National Institutes of Health (NIH). 

Physician and Patient Conferences
The AARDA sponsors physician conferences and symposia to bring about collaboration in research and cross fertilization of treatment approaches, scientific knowledge, and pharmaceutical advancements. The association also sponsors public education seminars for patients and their families.

National Awareness Campaign
National public awareness campaign is a major focus due to the lack of public information regarding autoimmune diseases.  This is a significant factor in the death rate which can often be attributed to misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis, and inadequate research funding. 

Referral Line
The association supports a nationwide 800 telephone referral line which provides information and referral services to thousands of inquirers annually.

Newsletter
AARDA publishes a comprehensive quarterly national newsletter, InFocus.  This informative newsletter is mailed to an international mailing list of interested persons. Some recent sample articles from InFocus are on this website. To view these articles, click on "View InFocus Articles" below.

Additional Information: