GDATF Founder Nancy Hord Patterson addressing a group of patients and caregivers in San Diego, CA.
I would like to welcome you to the GDATF website. I believe the information you find here will help you better understand Graves’ disease and other thyroid related illnesses.
Established in 1990 as the National Graves' Disease Foundation, the Graves’ Disease and Thyroid Foundation is the leading source of help and hope for people with Graves’ disease and other thyroid related disorders. We provide education and support for patients, family members, caregivers, friends and healthcare professionals.
The Foundation is a 501 C(3) tax-exempt non-profit international charitable organization. GDATF has helped thousands of patients better understand the symptoms and treatment programs for Graves' disease.
Diagnosis and treatment of Graves’ disease can cause stress, confusion, and even fear of what the future holds for you and your family. The Graves’ Disease and Thyroid Foundation’s mission is to provide patient services, public education, professional education, and to fund research. Patient programs include a toll-free hotline that provides individual counseling, physician referral, and a bulletin board where anyone can ask questions about the disease. The Graves' Disease and Thyroid Foundation offers support groups that provide educational, psychological and emotional assistance to Graves' patients and family members.
On a personal note, when I was initially diagnosed, I thought Graves’ Disease & Thyroid Eye Disease would be something to be treated, take the medicine, and get on with life. As many of you have discovered, this is NOT always the case. When it quickly became a struggle, I began to look for information, and for people to talk to that had faced the same concerns. When this proved impossible, I began an effort to start this Foundation. With the support of my Endocrinologist and Reconstructive Eye Surgeon, I was led to medical experts both nationally and internationally who were most willing to share their expertise in treating Graves’. They have kept us abreast of new research that is searching for the cause and cure for Graves’. Through these years, I have been honored to join hands with many dedicated volunteers who believe that the Foundation can educate, encourage and empower patients and caregivers to improve the quality of their lives. If you are interested in increasing public awareness in your own community by starting a support group or organizing a fundraiser for GDATF. Call us at 877-643-3123 or e-mail us at info@gdatf.org for more details.