Rare Disease Day is February 28th!

Monday, February 28th will once again mark Rare Disease Day, a global campaign to raise awareness about the more than 7,000 rare diseases – including appendix cancer and pseudomyxoma peritonei (PMP).

  • A rare disease is considered to be a disease that affects fewer than 200,000 people in the US at any given time.
  • Approximately 1 in 5 people living with cancer in the US are diagnosed with a rare cancer.
  • There are an estimated 200 rare cancers.
  • Appendix cancer affects an estimated 3 people per million per year.¹
  • Most individuals are diagnosed with appendix cancer PMP in their 40’s and 50’s.
  • The zebra is the symbol for rare diseases. Why? See below!²

We will be sharing appendix cancer patient stories on our social accounts. We hope you’ll join us in uplifting and amplifying these brave patients’ journeys by sharing and engaging with our posts. We will also share relevant awareness graphics and an exciting update regarding research that ACPMP has helped fund.

In honor of Rare Disease Day, submit your story to us to be featured in a future ACPMP awareness post or campaign. Your stories and faces help explain the impact of this rare disease, raise awareness, and highlight the need for research and education.

Learn more about celebrating Rare Disease Day in the U.S. and around the world.

Ways to support ACPMP for Rare Disease Day:

¹Learn more about appendix cancer and pseudomyxoma peritonei on our About AC/PMP page.

²“When you hear the sound of hooves, think horses, not zebras.” This phrase is taught to medical students throughout their training. In medicine, the term “zebra” is used to reference a rare disease or condition. Medical professionals are taught to assume that the simplest explanation is usually correct to avoid patients being misdiagnosed with rare illnesses. Doctors learn to expect common conditions, but many medical professionals seem to forget that “zebras” DO exist. Therefore, receiving a diagnosis and treatment can be more difficult for those with rare conditions.