Leverage public interest to cultivate resources that accelerate scientific advancements for rare diseases
Mission
Inspire the Rare Disease Community with hope through the power of sport
Our Programs
Develops social influencers into leaders that make a positive impact on the rare disease community
Shares the platform of sport with the rare disease cause and raises it as a national priority
Creates special moments that enrich the lives of rare disease patients and their loved ones
Our Chapters
Active
Legacy
Fundraising Initiatives
Lift For Life
Lift For Life is the original fundraising event that
launched Uplifitng Athletes! The event was
inspired by Don Shirley's battle with a rare
cancer. Now, college football teams across the
country participate in the right-of-passage to
benefit the rare disease community!
Touchdown Pledge Drive
Touchdown Pledge Drive brings awareness and helps raise funds while capitalizing on what our students-athletes do best during our most visible time of the year, college football season.
UA Ambassadors
The UA Ambassador program empowers individual athletes to support the Rare Disease Community by raising money and awareness with their performance. Opportunities include Reps for Rare Diseases at the NFL Combine and/or Pro Day workouts, the NFL's My Cause, My Cleats campaign, and anything else you can imagine!
Team UA
We are inviting athletes from across the country to support our mission by holding a pledge-based event to raise money for Uplifting Athletes. This program is open to all sports and all levels! Simply click create your campaign below to get started and a member of our staff will reach out to you to help make it a success.
Uplifting Events & Awareness Campaigns
Uplifting News
Posted on Monday September 14, 2020
Georgia Tech overcame a tough first half that included two interceptions and a pair of blocked field goals to rally from 10 points down to win its season opener on the road against fellow Uplifting Athletes Chapter Florida State. True freshman quarterback Jeff Sims accounted for 341 total yards in his first start and Jude […] Continue Reading »
Posted on Tuesday July 21, 2020
Kaci Adams isn’t a doctor, but sometimes she has to feel like one. The married 43-year-old mother of three has the rare disease Klippel-Feil Syndrome (KFS). Klippel-Feil Syndrome is an extremely complex disease with many potential symptoms and disease paths. Finding a medical specialist or expert to advise and help with her rare struggle has […] Continue Reading »
Posted on Tuesday July 14, 2020
Spend more than five minutes with Marni Cartelli and there is no possible way to miss her passion. She proudly wears it on her sleeve. What drives her passion is a will and commitment to battle a difficult and complex rare disease that makes a day without pain nearly impossible. Marni was diagnosed with Complex […] Continue Reading »
Posted on Tuesday July 14, 2020
The loss of hope and that feeling nobody is listening when you are screaming out for help came roaring back for Marni. It was a road she had been down before when she was originally diagnosed in 2016, and didn’t think it was a bridge she would have to cross again. “That anger and frustration […] Continue Reading »
Posted on Tuesday July 14, 2020
Spend more than five minutes with Marni Cartelli and there is no possible way to miss her passion. She proudly wears it on her sleeve. What drives her passion is a will and commitment to battle a difficult and complex rare disease that makes a day without pain nearly impossible. Marni was diagnosed with Complex […] Continue Reading »
Posted on Tuesday July 07, 2020
Justin Hopkin wears a lot of different hats. Doctor, father, husband, and rare disease advocate just to name a few. But, to Justin, no matter what hat he’s wearing, they all kind of look the same. That’s because Justin is committed to helping and serving others first. At the top of that list is his […] Continue Reading »
Posted on Tuesday June 30, 2020
As the Special Projects Director at the Amyloidosis Foundation Kathi Luis is invested in the rare disease patients, families and caregivers that her nonprofit serves. She is a dedicated and committed advocate for the Rare Disease Community. The Amyloidosis Foundation, like most single rare disease patient focused organizations, is powered by a small staff. Kathi […] Continue Reading »
Posted on Monday June 29, 2020
Nearly 30 million Americans are living with a rare disease and COVID-19 continues to present a myriad of challenges that is not only impacting the patients but their families and caregivers as well. At the top of the list is reduced access to vital medical care which, in turn, has exacerbated already existing challenges. Among […] Continue Reading »
Posted on Monday June 22, 2020
Uplifting Athletes is proud to announce the inaugural 7,000 Mile Challenge – a 10-day event starting July 17th that will bring focus and attention to the more than 7,000 known rare diseases. People affected by a rare disease are fighting against a finite clock that didn’t stop because of COVID-19. We’re letting the Rare Disease […] Continue Reading »
Posted on Wednesday June 17, 2020
COVID-19 has led to many adjustments of the college athletic schedule. The football student-athletes and programs Uplifting Athletes work with face a condensed time frame to prepare for the upcoming season under heightened safety precautions. In order to avoid any additional pressure, Uplifting Athletes made the decision to cancel all our annual Lift For Life […] Continue Reading »
Corporate Champions
