Historic Milestone: APBD Community Raises Over $200,000 to Advance Research
July 20, 2026
We are thrilled to announce that our community raised an incredible $201,177 during the 2026 APBD Tour de Friends Rally for Research fundraising campaign, exceeding our original goal of $120,000.
Together, we showed that every gift, every voice, and every supporter
can move research forward.
We extend our deepest gratitude to each of our 322 donors, whose generosity made this historic achievement possible. We’re especially thankful to our Board of Directors for their $50,000 matching gift and to Dr. Ora Gordon for her $20,000 matching gift. Additionally, we are thankful for our dedicated peer-to-peer fundraising team leaders whose collective efforts accounted for nearly a quarter of the campaign's total fundraising: Robin Knoll and Allan Rosenthal, Norma Orovitz, Steven Pfeffer, Faye Rosenberg, Carol Rosenstock, Michelle Weiss Sandler, and Sharon Young.
Our community came together in meaningful ways to advance APBD research. From asking friends and family to give, to welcoming a record-breaking 176 first-time donors, to securing prize donations for our Virtual Game Night event and organizing an in-person bike ride, supporters across the country stepped up to make a difference.
“Seeing Mark Knoll battle this disease up close moved me to take action. I wanted to give back to support him and others facing APBD,” shared Allan Rosenthal who -- for the second consecutive year -- organized a two-in-one bike ride and fundraiser in Austin, Texas.
Dr. Ora Gordon shared why she felt compelled to make a gift and match challenge, underscoring the urgency of continued research: “Since 2005, the APBDRF has invested more than $2 million to move therapies toward patients in need. What we do today will determine how quickly hope becomes reality.”
Norma A. Orovitz, a member of the 2026 Rally for Research Committee and a family member of an individual with APBD, shared why she encouraged others in the campaign: “We got our family members and friends involved because we understand that our power in this rare disease space comes from getting more people to learn and care about this little-known neurodegenerative disease, accelerate research, and make treatments possible.”
Stay tuned for more information on how these funds will be stewarded to advance research.