PROVIDENCE, R.I., July 7, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Rare Disease United Foundation created the Beyond the Diagnosis Art Exhibit to encourage the medical community to look beyond the diagnosis to the rare disease patient. Professional artists painted portraits of rare disease children which became part of a traveling exhibit for medical schools. With an average diagnosis time of 8 years in a field where the parent is most often the expert, doctors and rare disease patients need to have a more engaged approach to improve quality of life. The Beyond the Diagnosis Art Exhibit was unveiled at Brown University's Alpert Medical School for the entire month of February 2015. The Beyond the Diagnosis Art Exhibit will travel to Harvard Medical School in November 2015.

"There can be a lot of insecurity on the part of the physician or a medical student because you are supposed to be the smartest person in the room," said Dr. Craig Eberson, a surgeon and Associate Professor of Orthopaedics at Brown University's Alpert Medical School. He added that when he treats patients with rare diseases, it has to be in collaboration with the patient and the family. They are the experts. The Beyond the Diagnosis Art Exhibit leaves a lasting visual imprint and creates a unique connection to the viewer in a medical landscape where patients are too often misdiagnosed and misunderstood.

Rare Disease United Foundation has created a Kickstarter campaign to keep the Exhibit traveling to medical schools across the country. To make a donation, please go to the following link: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/445548702/beyond-the-diagnosis-art-exhibit.

About Rare Disease United Foundation: Rare Disease United Foundation (RDUF) is the nation's leading rare disease advocacy organization. RDUF has created innovative an effective programs to address the unmet needs of the 60,000,000 patients and caregivers struggling with the physical, emotional and financial stress of living rare.

Patricia Weltin
Rare Disease United Foundation
Phone: 401-487-3012
Fax: 401-434-0039
Pweltin@rarediseaseunited.org 
www.rarediseaseunited.org

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150706/230996

SOURCE Rare Disease United Foundation

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http://www.rarediseaseunited.org