RUSFOND USA

The Russian American Children’s Foundation (RACF) is an American children’s charity that helps children, whose rare, often deadly diseases, don’t make headlines in the news. Children who have been abandoned by their government, by their health care system, by other charities, and are dying at unprecedented rates.

Critical congenital heart defects, just one of many rare diseases, kills at least 12 of these forgotten children every day. That’s 4,385 children dying unnecessarily every year. The equivalent of the Titanic sinking... two times a year. Every year.

If these children had been operated on as infants, as they are in America, they would be leading normal, healthy lives. But they were born in Russia.

RACF believes that children should not have to die because of where they are born.

Our mission is to help children with rare disease receive groundbreaking American medical care before it's too late.

RACF's story is the story of of generous, compassionate hard-working Americans who have the courage to set politics, prejudices, and stereotypes aside to help create a miracle for a child who has no one else to turn to.

In 2012, the Russian Government officially adopts the term “rare diseases” for the first time. Starting in 2013, the government begins funding treatment for 24 rare disease diagnoses.

However, worldwide there are over 3,500 known rare diseases.

American doctors have the groundbreaking technologies that can save children suffering from these diseases.

The biggest challenge is in paying for the medical treatment.

It’s expensive.

RACF's goal is to help Russian children with rare diseases get life saving American medical care until there is a solution for them in Russia.

RACF achieves success in helping children with missing ears, rare forms of cancer, and complex heart defects by working together with leading children's hospitals, internationally renowned American doctors, and well known charities in the U.S. and Russia.

RACF supports children at leading hospitals across America, including Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York, the California Ear Institute in Portola Valley, California, Boston Children’s Hospital, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital in Ohio, the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago. These centers are best equipped to handle the child's specific illness.

Internationally renowned doctors work with RACF to help Russian children. RACF works with eye cancer specialist, Dr. David Abramson; ear surgeon Dr. Joseph Roberson and plastic surgeons Dr. Joseph Reinisch and Dr. Youssef Tahiri; and orthopedic surgeon Dr. Dror Paley among others. Using clinical research and groundbreaking medical techniques, these American doctors give these children their lives back.

RACF helps provide travel assistance, housing assistance, medical evaluation, hospitalization, surgery or other services necessary to help Russian children receive treatment in America for their rare disease. Rare diseases RACF assists with include, but are not limited to, microtia atresia (children born without ears or ear canals), retinoblastoma (eye cancer), and complex heart defects.

Strategic partnerships with leading children’s hospitals such as Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, Boston Children’s Hospital, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, the California Ear Institute and well known American charities such as Ronald McDonald House allow RACF to provide the life saving American medical care and logistical support these children need.

RACF negotiates the best rates possible with our partners to help children suffering from rare disease. Leading American specialists help RACF assess each child’s case individually to determine what financial support, logistical assistance, and coordination of services the child needs. RACF offers continuous follow up, emotional support, and guidance to help these families in crisis during their stay in the United States.

A strategic partnership with one of Russia’s most prominent children’s charities, the Russian Assistance Fund, provides RACF families with a crucial funding source. Since 2012, this foundation has wired over $8,000,000 to U.S. hospitals and medical centers for the benefit of RACF families.

RACF is made up of experienced Board members, staff, and medical advisors, who work together to create the best plan and outcome for Russian children seeking American medical care for their rare medical conditions.

RACF studies ways to bring groundbreaking American medical care to Russia by training local doctors and nurses, so that children can be treated right where they live.

Since 2012, RACF has reviewed 125 cases.

Sixty-nine families took a leap of faith and traveled to the United States.

Some families have to make multiple trips as part of a series of staged surgeries or for follow-up care.

Since 2012, collectively RACF patients made 162 separate trips to the United States. Virtually every month, another child arrives who needs life changing American medical care.

Of the 69, two children passed away while being treated for rare forms of cancer.

Sixty-seven other children are alive and leading better lives today. Their hearing has been restored, their eye cancer cured, their vision saved, and hearts mended.

All thanks to caring, compassionate, generous Americans who are willing to help someone they have never met.