State Representative Dave Yaccarino (R-87) spoke during Connecticut Rare Disease Day at the Legislative Office Building in Hartford on Friday, February 28, 2020. Throughout his tenure in the legislature, Yaccarino has championed on behalf of those impacted by rare diseases, more than 60 percent of whom are children.
“We must continue to advocate for the individuals and families impacted by rare diseases as there just is not enough funding to give them the support they need. We must also focus our efforts on research that will work toward finding a cure or at least develop medications that effectively help combat rare diseases,” said State Rep. Dave Yaccarino. “On February 28th, 2020, we gather in hopes of spreading awareness of rare disease and the need for funding and research, all of which are necessary to finding a cure.”
Connecticut Rare Disease Day takes place throughout the state and serves as an opportunity for patients, caregivers, medical professionals, industry representatives and public officials to come together, share their stories and voice their support for as many as 300,000 people in Connecticut living with a rare disease.
There are approximately 7,000 rare diseases and almost 1 in 10 Americans is impacted by them, which tend to be extremely costly to treat and often result in death. Rep. Yaccarino hopes that raising awareness will bring more donations, funding, treatments, and one day a cure.
To learn more visit www.rarediseases.org.