Building Awareness, Driving Change: Inside APFED’s Strategy for Rare Disease Advocacy

How do you drive awareness for a rare disease with a name that’s difficult to even pronounce and a wide range of symptoms that mimic other conditions?

In this episode, host Eric Racine and co-host Preeya George-Guiser sit down with Mary Jo Strobel, Executive Director of the American Partnership for Eosinophilic Disorders (APFED), about the organization’s strategic approach to rare disease advocacy.

Mary Jo shares how APFED blends creativity, strategy, and a patient-centered approach to raise awareness and improve lives for patients living with eosinophil-associated diseases. 

From creative targeted awareness campaigns to evidence-based initiatives, this conversation highlights how cross-sector collaboration can accelerate correct diagnosis and treatment and create lasting change in rare disease communities.