International Pemphigus & Pemphigoid Foundation Receives $75,000 Grant From Sy Syms Foundation

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - June 2, 2015 - PRLog -- The International Pemphigus & Pemphigoid Foundation (IPPF), the worldwide leader in pemphigus and pemphigoid (P/P) support, advocacy, awareness, and education, has again been awarded a $75,000 grant by the Sy Syms Foundation. The funds from the grant will support the IPPF’s Awareness Campaign, a multi-year effort to reduce diagnostic delays of pemphigus and pemphigoid (P/P) patients.

The average P/P patient sees 5 doctors over the course of 10 months in pursuit of a correct diagnosis. It is the goal of the IPPF Awareness Campaign to reduce both of these numbers. “Time is of the essence when suffering with pemphigus, so the Awareness Campaign is of the utmost importance to sparing patients’ needless additional suffering,” said Marcy Syms, President of the Sy Syms Foundation. “The Sy Syms Foundation makes this grant with those patients in mind.” This is the third year the Sy Syms Foundation has given a grant to the IPPF Awareness Campaign.

Since the majority of P/P patients present oral symptoms first, the IPPF Awareness Campaign focuses on pemphigus vulgaris (PV) and mucous membrane pemphigoid (MMP) -- two forms of P/P with increased presentation in the mouth. PV/MMP patients often see a dentist as one of their first clinician contacts. Because of this, the Awareness Campaign is encouraging medical professionals -- and dental professionals in particular -- to “PUT IT ON YOUR RADAR.”

About the Sy Syms Foundation

The Sy Syms Foundation was established in 1985 by retail entrepreneur and humanitarian, Sy Syms. His mission was to support education, and through his generosity the non-profit Foundation has effected the continued growth of many institutions of higher learning, medical research, and civic and cultural bodies. For more information on the Sy Syms Foundation, visit http://www.sysymsfoundation.org or call (201) 849-4417.

About the IPPF

Since 1994, the IPPF has been the pre-eminent global organization dedicated to improving the quality of life of all people diagnosed with, or affected by, pemphigus or pemphigoid. For more information on the IPPF Awareness Campaign, visit http://www.pemphigus.org/awareness or call (855) 4PEMPHIGUS.