Sanofi Genzyme recently observed Rare Disease Day with events at its locations around the world.
A patient with Fabry disease discussed the illness with employees in Argentina, and workers also heard from people knowledgeable about the disease and its evolution, according to a press release
The company held a conference in Australia for those who have rare diseases, their supporters, associations raising awareness and money to fight the diseases and those who have knowledge about the makeup and have educated opinions about why these diseases exist. Attendees were able to talk about doing all they can to make meaningful change for people with rare diseases.
In 2008, the European Organization for Rare Diseases started Rare Disease Day, which is observed globally on the last day of February, to help show how the diseases affect patients and their families and friends, the release said.
Because the diseases such diseases seldomly occur, doctors often struggle to identify and find ways to treat them.
This year, Sanofi Genzyme started Pledge 4 Rare with the goal of helping to make people understand more about the over 7,000 diseases that fall into the rare category and the over 350 million people globally who have those diseases. In Pledge 4 Rare, people are called to promise to run or walk a mile or longer on Rare Disease Day and show others what they did on their social media pages with the #Pledge4Rare hashtag.
