Advocacy efforts play an essential role in building stronger systems of care for rare diseases. By elevating the experiences of families and engaging policymakers, organizations such as the Ivan & Joan Foundation are helping move rare disease awareness and care forward in their communities.
Fanconi Anemia Explained
What Is FA?
FA is a genetic disease caused by mutations in any of the known 23 genes (including genes such as BRCA1 and BRCA2) that play a role in the FA DNA repair pathway. FA is considered a cancer-predisposition or cancer-susceptibility disease. Decades of research have revealed that faulty DNA repair causes FA, and individuals with FA are much more likely to develop cancer at a young age.