Update (March 1, 2024): Now that #RareDiseaseDay 2024 has drawn to a close, we would like to give our sincerest thanks to our ACDA community for the support, including generous donations yesterday in honor of Halle, Natalie Jo, Casey S., Colbie, Fallon, Barrett, Callie, David, Baby James, Merrideth, Dean, Annabelle, Johnny, Zachary W, Amelia, Poppy, Phoebe B. and Ronan B. These honorary donations represent eighteen of our precious ACDA children. We are thankful for a day of awareness and giving.

Stay tuned for updates in the coming days on the total amount raised in connection with #RareDiseaseDay 2024! The funds will be contributed to ACDMPV research grants and supporting the efforts of the medical community to find the cause of and cure for ACDMPV.

If you would still like to contribute, please visit our website at any time – https://acdassociation.org/donate/

Searching for answers…hoping for a cure.

Rare Disease Day is an international advocacy day to bring widespread recognition of rare diseases as a global health challenge. The day is celebrated on the last day of February every year – February 29 in 2024. The ACDA has signed on once again to support this awareness campaign and we encourage everyone to participate in some way.

Below are a few suggested ideas:

• Click HERE ($), HERE (£) or HERE (€) to print a flyer for anyone to use at their workplace that encourages employees to donate $5 / £5 / €5 to the ACDA and wear jeans to work on Thursday, February 29 for Rare Disease Day! #JeansForGenes

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• Fill your home with color! In an effort of global solidarity, you are invited to light or decorate your home with the Rare Disease Day colors at 7:00 p.m. your local time on February 29, 2024. See the flyer below for additional details!
• Help light up landmarks around the country on February 29, 2024! Identify potential landmarks—buildings, bridges, homes, businesses, stadiums, and other local points of interest—and complete any applications or request forms, as required by the landmark you are asking to light up. Read further details here!

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• Organize a fundraiser (Facebook or direct give) to raise money for the next ACDMPV research grant.

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• Contact your local newspaper to write an article about what Rare Disease Day means to you. Click HERE to read various articles previously written about our ACDA families.

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• Join the ACDA on social media by using the official ACDA frame above (you can download the transparent .PNG file HERE and overlay onto your favorite photo in your preferred photo app if you are tech savvy – or try overlaying your photos with a free online version at https://overlay.imageonline.co – you also may need to do it on a computer rather than mobile and crop after) to share that you love someone rare! Also use the hashtags #LightUpForRare #RareDiseaseDay, #ShowYourRare, #WRDD2024, #ACD, #ACDMPV

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Click to see how the ACDA supported Rare Disease Day in 2023 (also for extra fun, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017 and 2016)! Click HERE for ways to participate in the U.S. in 2024 and click HERE to visit the EURORDIS website for Rare Disease Day 2024 in Europe.