NORTH BETHESDA, MD, November 14, 2019 — The Foundation for the National Institutes of Health (FNIH) and the Friends of Patients at the NIH (Friends) are launching a new collaboration called “Partnership for Patients” to leverage one another’s competence and infrastructure to ensure that patients in need at the NIH Clinical Center receive support to participate in groundbreaking and potentially life-saving treatments.

“Our two organizations have complementary missions, both supporting the research mission of the NIH. With this partnership, we will be more closely aligned,” says Maria C. Freire, Ph.D., President and Executive Director, FNIH. “We look forward to working with Friends to learn what more can be done and how best to support patients at the NIH Clinical Center.”

Friends provides direct support to NIH patients in diverse ways, including local, long-term housing support in furnished apartments near the NIH campus. These apartment units are vital for the recovery of out-patients who need to stay near the NIH post-transplant/surgery and who may otherwise not be able to participate in clinical trials. Friends also can provide national and international transportation for patients and caregivers who need the financial support to enable them to participate in clinical trials at the NIH Clinical Center. The FNIH helps patients from a broader perspective, providing support for the research enterprise. The FNIH raised the funds needed to build the Edmond J. Safra Family Lodge on the NIH campus, which houses patients and families who require short-term stays and it has secured more than $16 million in donated pharmaceuticals for the NIH Clinical Center for patient care. Through this partnership, the FNIH and Friends will combine their unique perspectives, expertise and reach to support patients in a way that neither organization can do alone.

“The partnership between FNIH and Friends will help us expand awareness of the importance to support patients throughout their participation in clinical trials. We are excited about the synergy between our organizations,” says Heidi Williams, CEO of Friends at NIH. “We look forward to the possibilities of what we can accomplish together, in advancing research and offering hope to patients and their families during what may be the most difficult time in their lives.”

For more information, please visit www.fnih.org and www.FriendsatNIH.org.

About the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health

The Foundation for the National Institutes of Health creates and manages alliances with public and private institutions in support of the mission of the NIH, the world’s premier medical research agency. The Foundation, also known as the FNIH, works with its partners to accelerate biomedical research and strategies against diseases and health concerns in the United States and across the globe. The FNIH organizes and administers research projects; supports education and training of new researchers; organizes educational events and symposia; and administers a series of funds supporting a wide range of health issues. Established by Congress in 1990, the FNIH is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) charitable organization. For additional information about the FNIH, please visit fnih.org.

About the Friends of Patients at the NIH

The Friends of Patients at the National Institutes of Health provide Hope by giving emotional and financial support to patients receiving groundbreaking and life-saving treatments at the NIH. The Friends at NIH touch patients’ and their families’ lives in three ways:

• Shelter near the NIH during treatment and help keeping up with housing costs at home;
• Support systems including family and caregiver travel costs back and forth to the NIH;
• Quality of life to take some of the stresses off, like a meal when they arrive on Sunday to start a week of difficult treatments.

We are champions of NIH patients, helping to cover their essential needs so they can focus on recovery, healing and their unique role in health discoveries. These breakthroughs provide Hope for you and your family–and all future generations. Founded in 1984, Friends of Patients at the NIH is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) charitable organization registered in Maryland. For additional information, please visit www.FriendsatNIH.org