Celebrating Rare Families through the #RAREis Adoption Fund

Earlier this year, Horizon announced the creation of the #RAREis Adoption Fund in partnership with Gift of Adoption, to help facilitate global adoptions of children with rare diseases. Children awaiting adoption with rare diseases often go untreated or receive minimal treatment, and many face life in a long-term care facility or nursing home, according to Gift of Adoption.

Funding adoption assistance grants for children with medical needs has always been a priority for Gift of Adoption, amounting to 35 percent of their grant making.  When further analysis revealed that 40 percent of these children have rare diseases, from congenital heart disease to Stromme Syndrome, Gift of Adoption saw the opportunity to do something different.

The #RAREis Adoption Fund supports Gift of Adoption’s mission to provide financial assistance to complete the final steps of adoption of at-risk children. Horizon’s three-year commitment will support the adoption of more than 30 children living with rare diseases.

According to Gift of Adoption, many families who have a child with a rare disease open their homes again to another child with the same rare disease, having built the experience and understanding to navigate the challenging journey.

“Every month a child is in an orphanage, he or she can lose as many as three months of normal developmental advancement,” said Pam Devereux, chief executive officer, Gift of Adoption. “For children with rare diseases, the impact of securing a home with a loving family can be so much greater, not only on their health, but their overall quality of life.”

Since its launch just a few months prior, the #RAREis Adoption Fund has supported the adoption of eight children living with rare diseases from the United States, China and India, connecting them to loving homes.

To learn more about the individual impact of adopting a child with a rare disease, watch Isaac’s story and visit the Gift of Adoption website to get involved.