Education
VF provides emotional and informational support to patients with vasculitis, assisting them and their families in understanding the disease and recovery process.
Website
Provides up-to-date information on vasculitis, links to other informative websites and promotes activities of the organization.
Information Packets: VF maintains a library of reference materials on vasculitis and provides information on the diseases, treatments, medications and coping mechanisms for patients, family members and medical professionals.
Newsletter: Bimonthly 20-page newsletter provides the most current information on vasculitis, treatments, research and updates on the organization’s activities and is distributed to over 4,600 members worldwide.
International Symposia: VF sponsors educational conferences for patients and family members every other year. Speakers include the top medical experts treating and researching vasculitis. The meetings provide forums for medical and scientific discussion and an opportunity to meet other patients with vasculitis and family members.
Awareness
Public Awareness: Many patients go undiagnosed for months/years after developing symptoms. VF works to raise awareness of the disease through television and newspaper interviews, public service announcements, press releases, hosting awareness events and speaking at local community, religious and civic organizations.
Medical Consultants: Early diagnosis of vasculitis is key to preventing permanent organ damage and helping patients regain their health. VF Medical Consultants collaborate (at no charge) with medical professionals around the world on patient care.
Support of Local Chapters
VF support groups and chapters are the backbone of the organization. Scattered around the globe, the groups meet several times a year to discuss medical and research updates and to offer comfort and support to each other. In addition, VF collaborates with other patient support organizations around the world to improve the lives of all vasculitis patients.
Speakers’ Bureau
VF provides speakers and informational material for civic, community and religious meetings.
Research
The VF Grant Program provides seed grants to support pilot studies in researching etiology, epidemiology, diagnosis and treatment, including approaches that would prevent complications, and development of coping skills for living with this disease.