Today, it’s Rare Disease Day.
That doesn’t have much to do with us, cats, but it’s an important day, then when Claire asked us to speak about it on the blog, we said yes at once. The Swiss Cats are helping humans today !

A disease is called rare in Europe when it affects fewer than 1 to 2000 person (in the USA, when it affects fewer than 200000 Americans).
- 80% of rare diseases have genetic origins ; others are caused by bacterias, virus, allergies, environment, or are degenerative and proliferative.
- 50% of rare diseases touch children.
There are over 6000 rare diseases which are characterised by a broad diversity of symptoms. The disorders vary not only from disease to disease but also from a patient to another one suffering from the same disease.
This diversity can lead to misdiagnosis and delay treatment. There are seldom long-term effective cures, and quality health care is often very expensive.
Huge progresses are made every day thanks to a better international cooperation, like the development of new diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, but the road ahead is still long.
Get involved today and give hope to rare disease patients all over the world !
