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Dan

“Relapsing polychondritis is a very hard disease to figure out and that’s where the Relapsing Polychondritis Foundation and the Race for RP really come in to play.”

In October of 2019, Dan started feeling very poorly and it puzzled doctors. Dan visited an Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) specialist in January who mentioned “relapsing polychondritis” (RP).

Like so many people, Dan had never heard of RP before. He and his family decided to dive in and learn all they could about his diagnosis. That’s when his wife found the Relapsing Polychondritis Foundation. She reached out to us and explained Dan’s situation. We were able to connect him with Dr. Marcela Ferrada, a researcher at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and a patient with RP. Dr Ferrada diagnosed Dan with RP.

In July of 2021, Dan’s RP took a turn for the worst, and he ended up on life support. Fortunately, doctors were able to treat Dan and his lung condition approved. He’s been raising awareness for RP ever since. In fact, in October of 2022, Dan organized the inaugural RP Warrior 5k Walk.

Watch his story below.

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