The Raynaud’s Association was founded in 1992 by marketing executive Lynn Wunderman. 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 of 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 and now serves members worldwide. The Raynaud’s Association has developed working relationships with leading researchers from the National Institutes of Health, the country’s top rheumatologists who serve on the organization’s Medical Advisory Board, and manufacturers actively investing in products to provide warmth and comfort to the Raynaud’s community.

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Organization Founded as Raynaud's & Cold Sufferers Network

Fall 1992

While vacationing in frigid New Hampshire, marketing executive Lynn Wunderman felt such severe pain and swelling in her toes she could barely fit into a pair of shoes. After months of doctor visits, Ms. Wunderman’s condition was diagnosed as Raynaud’s.

With no place to go for information or support, she founded a local group called the Raynaud’s & Cold Sufferers Network – not realizing at the time that it would become the only organization in the world exclusively devoted to serving people with Raynaud’s.

First Official Local Meeting

January 1994
By 1994, the organization grew to over 60 members. The group’s first official meeting was held at Dobbs Ferry Hospital in Westchester, NY.

Cold Cuts Newsletter First Published

April 1994
Using software donated by a member, Ms. Wunderman created a publication devoted to news and information for the Raynaud’s community. The featured article in the first issue was titled “Hurray For Spring! How Did You Survive The Winter?”

Raynaud's Association Incorporated as a National Organization

August 1999
What started as a local support group grew to attract members from all over the world. It was time to incorporate and change the name to better reflect the audience being served.

Recognized by IRS as 501c3 Non-profit Organization

May 2000
Once incorporated, the organization applied for official non-profit status so that member donations would qualify as tax-deductible. Notification from the IRS was received in May of 2000.

Launched Raynauds.org Website

Winter 2001
The original site was fairly basic but laid the foundation for several of the features still continued today, including FAQ’s, a complete archive of Cold Cuts newsletters and a Raynaud’s Newsroom blog.

Recruited Medical Advisory Board

April 2004
Charter Board members included some of the world’s leading physicians and researchers in the field of rheumatology, including Fredrick Wigley, M.D. from Johns Hopkins and Hal J. Mitnick, M.D. from NYU Medical Center. Three of the original Medical Advisory Board members continue to help guide the RA’s efforts and provide a valuable resource to the Raynaud’s community.

Launched First Annual Raynaud's Awareness Month

October 2015
Raynaud’s Awareness Month is now an annual event just ahead of the cold weather season. Communications target the millions of sufferers who are not aware that their pain and discomfort have a medical explanation —and they are urged to seek treatment.

Launched Raynaud's Quiz with 10,000 Responders

October 2019
A quiz developed during Raynaud’s Awareness Month helped people to recognize Raynaud’s symptoms. In its first year the quiz attracted just under 10,000 responders. In its second year, the number tripled to nearly 30,000.  By 2023 total responders have grown to over 125,000, and it continues to draw hundreds of responders or more every week.