As part of this effort, in June the ACR and the Foundation worked together to hold the second annual Partners in Rheumatology: Leadership Summit. Attended by representatives from 14 private organizations and federal institutes, the meeting facilitated dialogue on how the organizations can work together and share resources to build a more effective support system for the rheumatology community. The Summit sparked several ideas for collaboration, including joint meetings for early-career investigators, a common research grant application that could be used across organizations and the creation of a comprehensive list of research and training resources relevant to rheumatology for distribution to program directors. The feasibility of these partnership ideas will be evaluated in the coming months as the organizations develop clear action items and goals.
Moving Forward with Your Support
The current and future success of researchers and educators and the advancement of rheumatologic treatments and the organizations that support them would not be possible without a strong ACR–Foundation partnership and generous contributions from rheumatology, patient and corporate supporters.
One of the strongest testaments to this teamwork is the close of the Foundation’s Journey to Cure campaign. This year marks the final year in the five-year campaign to raise $60 million, a significant milestone for the ACR and its Foundation, and our donors who committed to reaching this ambitious goal. Their determination and hard work has resulted in a significant increase in private support of rheumatology research and education initiatives. Not only did this accomplishment drive advancements in the field and help train tomorrow’s workforce, but it also provided an example to the medical community at large of what can be accomplished when rheumatologists and rheumatology health professionals invest in the future of their field.
Together, the ACR and its Foundation and ACR members have made extraordinary achievements in rheumatology and will continue to focus on Advancing Rheumatology! for many years to come.
Joan M. Von Feldt, MD, MSEd, FACR, FACP, is the president of the ACR, professor of medicine at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. She is also staff physician at the Philadelphia VA Medical Center.
Eric L. Matteson, MD, MPH, is the president of the Rheumatology Research Foundation and on faculty at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. His research interests include researching the epidemiology and novel treatments of rheumatoid arthritis and studying the impact of rheumatoid arthritis on development of coexisting conditions, such as heart disease.
