The Power of Rare is equal parts science and inspiration. In her urgent drive to help her daughter, Victoria Jackson not only transformed the competitive world of biomedical research, but also created a new medical model for generations to come. Arianna HuffingtonVictoria Jackson revolutionized the beauty industry in the 1980s and 90s with her no make-up approach to make-up and ultimately made Victoria Jackson Cosmetics into a billion-dollar global brand. But her greatest test of the power of rare didnt come until her daughter, Ali, was diagnosed with neuromyelitis optica, or NMOa rare, life-threatening autoimmune diseaseand Victoria, driven by a mothers love, set out to find a cure for her daughter. Within days of hearing Alis diagnosis in 2008, Victoria began the Guthy-Jackson Charitable Foundation to fund medical research into this often misdiagnosed orphan disease. Her blueprint called for breaking down the so-called silos of traditional medical research and bringing together some of the greatest minds to collaborate and share their findings. She hadnt expected to galvanize how medical research works, but within only a few years, thats just what she did. By focusing on the rare in each of us, the foundation has catalyzed breakthroughs in NMO in record time. These advances are also opening new doors to solving MS, lupus, and other autoimmune diseasesplus diseases that are not so rare, including cancer, infection, aging, and more. It has been Victorias guiding philosophy that if she can do it, anyone can. With The Power of Rare, she shares how the foundation harnessed the power of rare to speed discoveries that help patients. Through her business savvy, wit, and heart, she offers real-world advice and inspiration for others to tap into rare to empower their own breakthroughs.
