That’s the goal of the Gene Giraffe Project, which has donated more than 1,000 teddy bears and other stuffed animals to the UnityPoint Health pediatrics clinic in Fort Dodge over the past eight years. Each year, Gene Giraffe founder Doug Passow brings about 100 or more stuffed animals to the clinic around Rare Disease Day — the last day in February — for the clinic to distribute to each of its patients visiting that day and until they run out of animals.

The organization and annual event was started to honor Passow’s niece, Ava, who died from GM1-gangliosidosis. The inherited disorder progressively destroys nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, leading to muscle weakening, enlarged organs, seizures and other disabling symptoms.

Ava isn’t only the inspiration behind the mission of the organization, but its name as well.

“She used to sleep with a rainbow giraffe when she was alive,” Passow explained.

The Gene Giraffe Project now also honors Passow’s nephew, Jackson, who passed away at age 2 last year from the same condition.

“I mostly started it because there’s a lot of kids around here with rare diseases,” Passow said. “It’s more about bringing connectivity to the area.”

He said for a lot of families with kids who have rare diseases, it’s hard to find local support outside the doctor’s office.

“You don’t really have anyone to talk to,” he said.

That was his aim with Gene Giraffe — to spread awareness and support for children with rare diseases.

“It’s to comfort them, but more than anything it’s to tell those kids that we see them, whatever they’re battling,” Passow said.

Giving away stuffed animals to pediatric patients isn’t all Gene Giraffe does.

Passow is partnering with the industrial technology program at Manson Northwest Webster High School to build two ADA-accessible picnic tables to be donated to UnityPoint Health — Trinity Regional Medical Center and the Paula J. Baber Hospice House.

The organization also hosts a golf tournament and other fundraising events to raise money for personalized care packages and scholarships.

Passow sends out one or more care packages each month to children facing rare diseases around Iowa — all personalized to the child’s needs and interests.

The Ava and Jackson Passow Memorial Scholarship is given to students at Fort Dodge Senior High, Manson Northwest Webster and St. Edmond who have dealt with an unusual life experience, special needs in some capacity or those going into nursing and social services fields.

Rare Disease Day occurs every year on the last day in February. It was created by the National Organization of Rare Diseases to spread awareness. Diseases are considered “rare” in the U.S. if the disease affects less than 200,000 people.

There are around 7,000 rare diseases, with new ones being discovered every day, affecting over 30 million Americans. Children are hit particularly hard, accounting for half of those with a rare disease.

The Gene Giraffe Project accepts donations through its website at www.genegiraffe.org. On the website, visitors can also submit nominations for care packages as well.