Empowering Student Advocates and Volunteers of All Ages to Drive Awareness, Research, and Support for the Rare Disease Community
Our Mission
Empowering the future of advocacy, Student Advocates for Rare Diseases is a one-hundred percent student-run 501(c)(3) nonprofit based out of Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School in Massachusetts that is dedicated to cultivating a global network of compassionate and informed student advocates and volunteers of all ages. We strive to raise awareness, send love and support, drive education, and foster inclusive communities–ensuring that the voices of those affected by rare diseases are heard. Through innovative initiatives, collaborative partnerships, donations, and unwavering dedication, we support students to be catalysts for positive change to shape a world where rare diseases are understood, supported, and ultimately, overcome.
What is a rare disease?
A rare disease is a disease affecting less than 200,000 people in the United States. Unfortunately, rare diseases are often overlooked, receiving less funding, support, awareness, and research towards their cures.
We need your help.
Your support is vital to helping us uplift and connect with the rare disease community. Student Advocates for Rare Diseases (SARD) is entirely student-founded and led, with every initiative- from care packages to awareness campaigns - driven by passionate youth volunteers. Your donation fuels our mission and ensures that young changemakers can continue making a difference.
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URGENT: WE ARE IN NEED OF FUNDRAISING IN ORDER FOR OUR VOLUNTEERS TO CONTINUE TO CREATE AND SHIP BLOOM FOR RARE BASKETS TO CHILDREN WHO ARE FACING RARE DISEASE. YOU CAN SEE WHO YOUR DONATION WILL BENEFIT HERE
Over 300 million people worldwide are living with at least one rare disease right now.
Happening Now!
Reaching 35,000+ people through our website and socials
in the past 3 months
90+ volunteers
Participating in our projects across 9 chapters
Our Features
Our Most Recent Initiative
From December 1 - 25, Student Advocates for Rare Diseases chapters hosted a series of donation drives, card making events, and care packaging sessions. Items collected and purchased with our monetary donations were used to assemble care packages aimed at spreading positivity and holiday spirit to hospital patients within our chapters’ geographic locations.
Partnering to support the rare disease community and brighten the hospital environment as a whole.
Just some of the hospitals we have worked with:
Our Locations
We proudly show our 9 current chapters:
8 domestic chapters and 1 international chapter
Chapters are groups of like-minded volunteers that are an extension of SARD as a whole. Our chapters reflect our values and mission while serving the rare disease community.
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We prefer this approach in order to create smaller, more concentrated communities of rare disease advocates in new, diverse geographical locations.
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Our chapters consist of registered clubs at high schools and colleges run by students, as well as community groups containing volunteers of all ages.
