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The Raynaud’s Association is a national non-profit (501c3) organization whose mission is to provide support and education to the millions of sufferers of Raynaud’s Phenomenon, an exaggerated sensitivity to cold temperatures. The Association seeks to educate the general public about this condition, which can be very painful and, for some, may cause serious blood vessel damage.
Another goal of the Association is to help people understand that Raynaud’s is not a condition to be dismissed as a mere nuisance. Seeking medical attention is important, not only to find treatment, but to rule out the possibility that an underlying, serious disease may be causing Raynaud’s symptoms.
Marketing executive Lynn Wunderman founded the Raynaud’s Association in 1992. While vacationing in New Hampshire in 1990, Lynn felt such severe pain and swelling in her toes she could barely fit into a pair of shoes or boots. At first, she chalked up the problem to poor circulation. When the problem persisted, she had no choice but to go to the emergency room to seek medical attention. It took months of persistent probing with doctors to successfully diagnose her condition as Raynaud’s.
Once aware of the condition, Lynn recognized she had experienced the classic symptoms of Raynaud’s for years: The triad white, blue, red change of color to her fingers and toes when exposed to cold temperatures. Even holding a glass with ice cubes caused pain.
"I learned not only that my problem had a name, but that people with Raynaud’s could benefit from treatment and lifestyle adjustments," she said. "When I was diagnosed, there was no place to go for information or help in dealing with everyday activities, such as holding a cold glass or shopping in the refrigerated section of the supermarket."
The association Lynn founded, originally called the Raynaud’s and Cold Sufferers Network, has grown rapidly from a regional to a national organization. Today, the Raynaud’s Association has developed working relationships with leading researchers from the National Institutes of Health and major university hospitals.
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