IIS La Fe raises €25,802 for Rare Disease Research Through an Online Fundraising Campaign

La Fe Health Research Institute (IIS La Fe) has raised €25,802 through an online solidarity campaign to support rare disease research. The initiative, launched with the support of activist and patient Noah Higón, received contributions from 950 donors via the COLABORA platform on the IIS La Fe website.

At the heart of the campaign was a raffle featuring a plush zebra signed by TV host David Broncano, American actor Chris Pratt, and Noah Higón. The zebra symbolizes rare diseases due to its unique pattern, reflecting the genetic complexity of these conditions. The raffle was conducted among the 950 donors who contributed to the campaign.

Under the slogan "Deciphering the Pattern of Rare Diseases," the initiative aimed to raise awareness about these rare conditions, highlight their impact, and promote research as a key pathway to improving diagnosis and developing new treatments.

The funds raised will be entirely allocated to projects led by the Molecular, Cellular, and Genomic Biomedicine Group at IIS La Fe. Their research focuses on Huntington's disease, spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), Usher syndrome, retinal dystrophies, retinitis pigmentosa, primary ciliary dyskinesia, and cranial malformations, among others.

Rare diseases are those affecting fewer than 5 in 10,000 people. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there are more than 7,000 rare diseases worldwide, affecting 7% of the global population. In Spain, it is estimated that more than three million people live with one of these conditions.

This solidarity initiative is part of IIS La Fe's philanthropy and sponsorship strategy, which seeks to engage the public, organizations, and individuals committed to advancing biomedical research, particularly in high-need areas such as rare diseases.