TGen receives PayPal grant to underwrite costs of genetic tests for children with rare disorders

The Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), an affiliate of City of Hope, today announced a $10,000 grant from PayPal Gives, which will help underwrite the costs of genetic tests for children with rare disorders.

Establishment of the PayPal Hope Fund at TGen's Center for Rare Childhood Disorders (C4RCD) will address a critical need in the Arizona community. As many as 30 percent of children with rare disorders do not live to age 5. The PayPal Hope Fund will provide low-income children with an opportunity to receive state-of-the-art genetic testing in hopes of finding a diagnosis and determining a personalized treatment plan.

TGen's C4RCD collaborates with pediatricians and children's hospitals throughout Arizona to identify children who would be candidates for genetic testing. The PayPal Hope Fund will provide answers for many families and possibly save the lives of many fragile children.

"Genomic sequencing has revolutionized our approach to diagnosis for children with undiagnosed diseases, but there are still too many children and families who do not have access to this technology," said Dr. Vinodh Narayanan, Medical Director for TGen's C4RCD. "The funds available to our center through the Hope Fund enables us to bring the latest in genomic methods to these families in need."

The Hope Fund at TGen was made possible through PayPal's GIVE Team program, which empowers employees globally to support the communities in which they live and work through volunteerism and employee-sponsored grants. With 35 GIVE Teams worldwide, employees annually recommend more than $1 million in grants, which are then distributed to benefitting organizations through PayPal Gives.

"PayPal Gives helps us extend the positive impact we seek to have as a company and actively contribute to and strengthen communities around the world," said Julie Vennewitz-Pierce, Director of PayPal Gives. "We're proud to support a wide variety of programs around the world, each of which helps build stronger, more inclusive communities that enable greater opportunity for individuals and families. TGen's Center for Rare Childhood Disorders is a great example of this effort, and we're pleased to support their work."

The $10,000 grant to TGen's C4RCD was recommended by the PayPal's Scottsdale GIVE Team.