How One Local Business Chose to Make Immediate Impact in Finding Cures for Rare Diseases

DELTA, British Columbia, May 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- On April 8th, 2017, the Rare Finds YVR: Feast for the Senses event took place. $111,000 was raised in support of the Rare Disease Foundation in its mission to help Canadians living with rare diseases. Andrew and Meg Neufeld, co-owners of the award-winning health agency, Alongside You, were in attendance.

"Life is full of challenges. Help me understand mine." – Max

As Andrew and Meg stared at this quote during the gala, it made them ponder the question: How well do we, as Canadians, understand the needs of this crowd that has often been overlooked by the public?

Meg grew up with an identical twin sister with a rare form of dwarfism and profound hearing loss. From an early age, they knew they were rare: 1 of 7 in the world at the time. Through their journey as a family, their father co-founded the Rare Disease Foundation with friends and colleagues and set out to change the course of research and treatment for rare diseases

Throughout their professional lives, Meg and Andrew have been intimately involved in supporting families, many of whom struggle with health conditions, including rare diseases. As pleased as they are to be able to provide support to individuals and families through the health disciplines at Alongside You, they know that the work of the Rare Disease Foundation has the potential to change health outcomes for individuals with rare diseases, and greatly relieve stresses on their families by identifying rare conditions and developing treatments — a chance to impact the individuals and families much earlier on in life and be proactive against many of the stresses these families face.

This is why supporting the Rare Disease Foundation is so important to them — because their awareness of the impact isn't just professional, it's family.

In order to participate in the mission of furthering Rare Disease awareness, Alongside You was involved with the Rare Finds Gala in several profound ways. They have donated gift baskets of art supplies and classes at their studio — a safe and comfortable environment for anyone of any age, diagnosis, or ability to experiment with different art mediums. They have also donated a Birkman^© Assessment and coaching session package through Immerse Consulting, a subsidiary of Alongside You.

But that is only the tip of the iceberg. Alongside You is also a proud provider of a $3,500 Microgrant to the Rare Disease Foundation. The microgrant program provides a small amount of funding ($3,500) that must accomplish a specific research goal and directly improve patient care.

"The grant will go to researchers eager to solve problems for today's patients in just 4 weeks' time," according to the Rare Disease Foundation.

This is why Alongside You, as a local business, believes that any small- to medium-sized businesses can make an immediate impact on finding cures for rare diseases. They sincerely hope that their story would encourage fellow small business owners to take action, and provide microgrants to support the wonderful things the Rare Disease Foundation is doing for millions of Canadians affected by rare disorders.

About Rare Disease Foundation

Founded in 2008, the Rare Disease Foundation is a registered charitable organization supporting rare disease research internationally, with a majority of that research taking place in Canada.

Their Vision and Mission is to revolutionize rare disease care through the creation of communities of patients, caregivers, healthcare providers, researchers and supporters working together to transform the lives of those living with rare disease.

About Alongside You

Alongside You is an award-winning, integrated health agency in the heart of Ladner, BC, and they serve a wide range of clientele in Ladner, Delta, Vancouver, Richmond, Surrey, Langley and surrounding areas. They provide accessible health care to anyone in their communities, because people matter.

If you would like more information about what Alongside You is doing in the community, please contact Andrew Neufeld at 604.283.7827 ext. 701, Meg Neufeld at ext. 703, or email them at info@alongsideyou.ca.

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SOURCE Alongside You