The Takayasu's Arteritis Research Association (TARA), is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) voluntary health organization established in the United States in 1999 to seek out and advocate for people who have Takayasu's Arteritis (TA). Tara is funded primarily by the generosity of its members, their relatives, and friends.

The goal of TARA is to promote public awareness about this disease by providing current information to patients, families, friends and medical professionals and helping to facilitate avenues of funding for research on TA, seeking new ways of early detection of the disease, better treatments of TA and, possibly finding a cure for Takayasu's Arteritis (TA). 

TARA has located patients all over the world, including, England, Canada, Brazil, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, and all over the United States. There many are others out there with this disease that we have yet to find. 
 

What does TARA do?

TARA programs include:

Securing funds and funding research into better diagnostic, better, less toxic treatments and curing Takayasu's Arteritis.

Maintaining a web site that provides patient-oriented information on Takayasu's Arteritis, which includes a bulletin board where patients can share their questions about and experiences with this disease;

Publishing a quarterly newsletter that provides articles on coping skills, patient empowerment, and the latest in relevant research;         

Distributing a variety of patient-education publications.

Promoting a Keep-in-Touch(KIT)program which provides an avenue for patient-to-patient communication within a member's geographic region if possible.

Sponsoring conferences where leading medical professionals and researchers speak on the nature of this disease, current research efforts, treatments, and coping with a chronic illness.

From Congress to state legislatures, from community hospitals to hundreds of national organizations, the Takayasu's Arteritis Research Association (TARA) will be the leader in efforts to advance Takayasu's Arteritis up the research ladder through advocacy, research and educational in hopes of reducing the human suffering and economic toll of this disease.

WHAT IS ADVOCACY?

Advocacy is the act of educating others about an issue, supporting/defending a cause and recommending an action.

ADVOCACY IS IMPORTANT TO YOU!

Public advocacy allows individuals and groups to be heard by their members of Congress and to truly make a difference. Your signatures, letters and time are what will capture the attention of your Members of Congress. With your help, our goals to find better diagnostic tools, better less toxic treatments and eventually wipe out Takayasu's Arteritis can be achieved through educational efforts aimed not only at patients their families, friends and medical providers, but also at our legislators.

The Takayasu's Arteritis educational message is simple and powerful:

Action is needed to curb this devastating disease. We need to encourage increased research and education to prevent, diagnose and treat Takayasu's Arteritis in a timely fashion. We need additional funding for Takayasu's Arteritis research. While this is a simple message, results are achieved when many voices are heard. We need your help!  You and TARA can make a difference.

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