Happy New Year!
The Scleroderma Foundation of California enjoyed a successful 2024! We continue to be the ONLY on-the-ground, west coast based non-profit organization dedicated to supporting patients with scleroderma. Headquartered in Los Angeles since 1989, our mission is to EMPOWER the scleroderma community to live BETTER lives through programs dedicated to SUPPORT, EDUCATION and RESEARCH.
Some of our 2024 accomplishments include:
Support Groups: Expansion to 26 support groups, led by trained and qualified Leaders and staffed by our professional staff. We now reach hundreds of of scleroderma patients and their families throughout California and Arizona, Nevada and Hawaii. These groups represent a safe-haven and often an important lifeline in the ability of newly diagnosed patients and those living with the disease to cope and manage the disease.
Patient Education Events: Patient education days were held in Los Angeles and San Francisco. Our staff seeks to provide our patients and families with current research and information from medical experts and professionals in the field of scleroderma and related autoimmune diseases. Patient Education Days are also an opportunity for patients to meet others and share information.
Fundraising Events and Activities: We completed a full year of our fundraising events, meeting and in some events, exceeding our fundraising goals. Our events this year included our Vertical Cure ski event, held annually at Mammoth Mountain; three A Million Steps for Scleroderma – our annual walks (formerly known as Stepping Out for A Cure), covering the greater Los Angeles area; San Diego and Las Vegas, bringing together hundreds and hundreds of friends and supporters. Our 23rd Key to A Cure Gala, was one of our most financially successful galas to date.
New funding sources: We are proud to announce that the Foundation was the sole beneficiary of the Estate of Florence Heckenbach, given in loving memory of her daughter Sherry, who passed away as a result of scleroderma. This transformational gift is our first Endowment and will assist us in furthering our strategic plan of growth, and we would be grateful for you to consider us in your estate planning.
All of our accomplishments were made possible because of the support of donors like you! Your gift will continue to support these efforts and will ensure that we can continue to fulfill our mission and to improve the quality of life for those with this disease in 2025 and beyond.
Your gift will directly impact our patients and help ensure that our goals, and hopes can be realized in 2025 and beyond.
All contributions to the Foundation will remain with us in California, directly impacting the communities we serve.
We could not – and would not- be where we are today without such dedicated friends as you.
We wish you and your family all good things for the New Year!
With our gratitude and appreciation,
Scleroderma Foundation of California
8929 S. Sepulveda Blvd. Suite 401