WARD’S Foundation

WARD'S Foundation exists to be a voice for the 1 in 10 people in the US affected by a rare disease. Our mission is three-fold: We aim to  increase the awareness, education, and prevention of rare diseases; We aspire to walk alongside families in their rare disease journey by providing resources, guidance, and support; We strive to improve the clinical, diagnostic,  and overall patient experience. 

Our first major project as an organization was to help bring adequate clinical support and a medical home for rare diseases to Charlotte. In 2022, we made a $1 million gift to Atrium Health Foundation to help further advance the care of rare disease  patients at Atrium Health Levine Children’s. The Ward Winslett Center for Complex and Rare Disease is  providing patients with access to an array of services under one roof, ensuring that families spend less time traveling and in appointments, and more quality time with their  children. In addition  to meeting the clinical needs of families, the Center will serve as the catalyst for innovation in  quality improvement, research, and education to support foundational change in the delivery of  care for patients with rare diseases. In just one year, the Center is already serving over 150 of the most vulnerable and medically complex families. 

In addition to continued funding for Ward's Center, our Foundation  works to connect families with rare diseases to ensure that they have a strong peer support network and do not feel like they are traveling this road alone.  Any family with a rare disease diagnosis can come to WARD'S Foundation and find encouragement, support and connection.