D.R.E.S.S. Syndrome Foundation

Announcing SCAR 2026: Stronger Together! The next global meeting on severe cutaneous adverse reactions (SCARs) is May 18 – 19, 2026, in Nashville, TN, USA. Attendees can join in-person or virtually. The event is hosted by Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) and will bring together medical-research and patient communities for discussion on SCARs, including DRESS Syndrome and SJS/TEN. We’re excited to host a panel along with Stevens-Johnson Syndrome Canada that will feature DRESS and SJS/TEN patients sharing their lived experiences with severe drug reactions. Interested to learn more? Sign up to receive more information and registration details from VUMC at the link below. Hope to see you there! Sign up: surveymonkey.com/r/SCAR2026

Join us for our next DRESS Support Meetup on March 11! In this session, we're recognizing "Big Wins in Small Steps." Surviving DRESS Syndrome requires careful attention to your recovery and health, and can feel draining, emotionally and physically. Within this space, small steps in recovery can create big gains in how people feel day to day and the hope they carry into tomorrow. Join us for an open discussion on the small steps that have made an impact in your recovery. Share your stories, ask questions, or simply listen. This space is yours! 💜 Topic: Big Wins in Small Steps When: March 11, 2026 Time: 6:30 pm to 7:45 pm ET Save your seat: ow.ly/BYt350YoHEj

Congratulations to our 2025 DRESS Heroes! 🌟 DRESS Hero is our annual awards event that celebrates medical professionals who excel at treating and caring for patients with DRESS Syndrome. Worldwide, patients and their loved ones nominated dermatologists, physicians, pharmacists, and other medical professionals who made a difference in their lives. We’re incredibly thankful for the thoughtful treatment and dedicated support each of our DRESS Heroes have provided patients. And we’re honored to recognize each of you as a DRESS Hero! Keep up the wonderful work! Introducing our 2025 DRESS Heroes: - Patricia Baidoo, PharmD - Rosanne St. Bernard, MD - Alexandria Dulchavsky, MD - Eric J. Feit, MD, FAAD - Muhammad Hasan, MBBS, FCPS, MRCP, FRCPath - Brenna LaBere, MD - Charles E. Mount, MD, FAAD - Eliza Notaro, MD - Yuktanand Singh, MD, FAAP - Shivam Zaver, MD, PhD - Mayar Zawawi, MD Learn more and read their patient testimonials: ow.ly/15Kf50Yfi7l

For people with DRESS Syndrome, having a medical ID can become a critical tool that helps protect them during a medical crisis. This wearable advocate provides medical teams with essential life-saving information about your health and helps them navigate safe treatment. And it can often be the first item emergency responders look for on people during a medical event. Learn more about the benefits of medical IDs in our newest blog! ow.ly/mVFU50YbLE9

A friendly reminder that our next DRESS Support Meetup is today! We welcome DRESS Syndrome patients, loved ones, and caregivers to join us. The topic is Unwind and Connect. We'll host an open discussion where you can share stories and challenges you've had, and ask questions. Or, you can simply listen and be with a community of people who understand what you're going through. This space is yours. All are welcome! Topic: Unwind and Connect, an open discussion When: January 14 Time: 6:30 pm to 7:45 pm ET Register today by 12 pm ET: ow.ly/jGH750XWIP7

Want to connect with our DRESS Syndrome patients, loved ones, and caregivers? Our next DRESS Support Meetup is this Wednesday, Jan. 14! In this week's Meetup, we're holding space for you to unwind from the holiday season and connect with community. We’ll talk about what has felt challenging recently and share support as we look toward the year ahead. All are welcome! 💜 DRESS Support Meetup - Date: January 14 - Time: 6:30 pm to 7:45 pm Join us: ow.ly/ye6Z50XVHr2

New or worsening rashes after starting a medication should never be ignored. At the 2025 Dermatology Days of Paris conference, Dr. Camille Hua highlighted DRESS Syndrome as a dermatologic emergency requiring rapid recognition and care. 🔗 ow.ly/hfyK50XUE7f #DRESSsyndrome #DrugRash

Our next DRESS Support Meetup is January 14! The holiday season can be difficult for many people living with or recovering from an illness like DRESS Syndrome. Between ongoing symptoms, emotional strain, and the energy it takes to get through each day, this time of year can feel overwhelming. In our next Meetup, we're holding space for you to unwind from the season and connect with community. We’ll talk about what has felt challenging recently and share support as we look toward the year ahead. All are welcome! 💜 Join us: ow.ly/w79t50XMA9p

Wishing you a warm and loving holiday season! Thank you for being part of our community. May the holidays bring you full hearts and peaceful days surrounded by those you love. 💜

We’re happy to announce that we’ve named our 2025 DRESS Heroes! 🌟 Thank you to everyone who nominated a medical professional who supported them or a loved one with expert DRESS treatment and care. Nominations came from around the world, including the US, Canada, and the UK. We’ve named 11 medical experts as DRESS Heroes who are hematologists, dermatologists, pediatricians, and more. We’ll be making our formal announcement with all DRESS Heroes in January 2026. In the meantime, our 2026 DRESS Hero Awards are open! Nominate your DRESS Hero today: ow.ly/wLik50XMACm

For many people with DRESS Syndrome, taking prednisone is a vital tool for overcoming the acute, life-threatening stage of the disease. However, this treatment also comes with its challenges. Many people can experience unexpected physical and emotional side effects that they are never warned about. Such was the case for DRESS Syndrome survivor Christina Ledford, BSN, RN. In her next guest blog, Christina breaks down the silence surrounding prednisone and its impact on patients, physically and mentally. Read her story: ow.ly/cn5R50XIuPO

Thank you! 🫶 Because of your generosity, we’ve raised $14,330.00 so far — helping patients worldwide navigate and survive DRESS Syndrome. In 2025, 2,191 cases of DRESS have already been reported to the FDA (FAERS). And an estimated 7,000 people in the U.S. are suffering from DRESS at any given time. These aren’t just numbers. They are people who are: • waiting for a diagnosis • experiencing organ failure • navigating long-term complications • fighting to survive Your support helps ensure more patients receive a timely diagnosis, appropriate care, and life-saving guidance — and that no one faces DRESS alone. Thank you for supporting the DRESS Syndrome Foundation. We couldn’t do this work without you. 💜🌟 Donate: donorbox.org/giving-tuesday…

Your donation enables us to attend major medical conferences and host educational webinars on DRESS — ensuring patients have a voice and clinicians stay informed. 💜 For Katherine, access to trusted education helped her have the right conversations with her medical team — leading to better recognition and care. “Thank you for the work you do to connect us, inform us, and empower us to educate loved ones and even medical providers.” Your support strengthens essential DRESS education for both patients and clinicians. Donate: ow.ly/JJTE50XAnCC

Your donation … Helps make the 2026 Global SCARs Meeting possible. This conference is a rare and essential opportunity for experts and patients to advance research, awareness, and treatment for life-threatening drug reactions. 💜 For Amber, having our support enabled her to deepen her medical care. To this goal, convening global leaders in severe drug reactions is a critical pathway to better diagnosis, treatment, and survival for patients like her. "Thank you again for all of your help. This is the most care I have received since all of this happened.” Amber D. Your support helps improve medical awareness of DRESS Syndrome. Donate today: ow.ly/tcUU50XAnxP

Shop with a cause this GivingTuesday! In honor of this giving holiday, fine clothing store Verdalina is donating 20% of all sales — both in-person and online — to our Foundation! They will also match what they raise. Based in Richmond, Virginia, Verdalina focuses on slow fashion, prioritizing quality through fair trade, organic, and environmentally responsible materials, and is sweat-shop free. You can know you’re buying from a company that is deliberate and caring. We’re honored that Verdalina Founder Deborah Boschen chose our Foundation as a cause to support! Explore their store and support our mission of advocacy, education, and support for DRESS Syndrome patients and their families. verdalina.com

Your donation … Supports expert webinars and physician outreach to deepen DRESS awareness and understanding. 💜 For Jamie, information shared from our Foundation helped shift a doctor’s perspective — changing how DRESS was understood and approached in their care. “I truly appreciate you. Without you, they would not have done the bloodwork they did! The doctor originally said minocycline doesn’t cause this and that DRESS is mainly related to sulfa drugs — but because of your information, he looked it up, came back, and apologized. 🙏😔 Your work and awareness are vital. This is so amazing, what you do!” Jamie D. Your support empowers patients like Jamie to provide life-saving information to their medical team. Donate today: ow.ly/oZo550XAntm

Your donation … Sustains our monthly DRESS Support Meetups for patients and families around the world. People experiencing DRESS Syndrome often feel alone and isolated in their illness, which takes a toll on their health and wellbeing. Our DRESS Support Meetups are free virtual gatherings for patients and caregivers that helps them share stories and foster connection. 💜 For one DRESS Syndrome patient, our Meetups helped find community. “This was an incredible experience, supportive and validating. I am grateful for this meetup and hope to see more!” Your support helps ensure these Meetups remain a vital space for connection and care. Donate today: ow.ly/yxvF50XAn5R

Your donation … Helps a newly diagnosed patient access trusted education and emotional support. 💜 For Jim, finding our Foundation made a difference in his ability to advocate for his daughter and have information that helped save her life. “The DRESS Syndrome Foundation was a rock for me and instrumental in helping me advocate effectively on behalf of my daughter when she was admitted to the hospital. The support was tireless — daily check-ins, late-night messages, and guidance again each morning. I hate to think what would have happened if I hadn’t found the Foundation online that Sunday.” Jim C. Your support helps a child like Jim’s daughter survive DRESS Syndrome. Donate today: ow.ly/squR50XAmPm

Your donation … Sustains our year-round advocacy, patient support, and education programs — fueling our small team’s global impact. 💜 For Shruthi, our Foundation provided essential information and guidance that helped her advocate for her young daughter. She was better able to navigate a frightening medical crisis with clarity and confidence. “Had it not been for you, I would’ve been totally lost—and God knows how much more Maya would have had to endure. Thank you so much for being there when I needed guidance.” Your support helps parents like Shruthi feel informed, equipped, and never alone as they navigate DRESS Syndrome. Donate today: ow.ly/aCge50XAmBP