(BPT) - Each year, people across the world are invited to join
together to raise awareness about rare diseases. Unlike more
common conditions such as diabetes and breast cancer, many of
these diseases, as well as the people affected by them, are not
recognized by their own awareness initiatives throughout the
year. Yet for people living with rare diseases and their loved
ones, the path to a confirmed diagnosis, adapting to new
treatment regimens, and facing the day-to-day challenges of
these diseases can often be overwhelming. The goal of Rare
Disease Day is to provide awareness of lesser known diseases,
and to recognize each respective patient community while
highlighting the great strides that are being made in medical
research. This year, disease education activities will take
place Feb. 28, with local events held across the globe to help
build community support and awareness. By definition, a rare
disease is an illness that affects fewer than 200,000 people in
the U.S. While individually, each of these ap