Rett Syndrome Research Trust receives donation from duty free and travel retail association charity

The Rett Syndrome Research Trust (RSRT), a relatively new Rett Syndrome research organization, was awarded a €30,000 (approximately $44,181) grant from the charitable arm of the Tax Free World Association (TFWA) in an announcement dated January 25, 2008.

TFWA is the world’s largest Duty Free and Travel Retail Association, with a membership of 420 brands, supplying the global duty free and travel retail markets. The organization’s charitable arm, TFWA Care, provides financial assistance to humanitarian organizations and various charitable projects. 

Here is how the RSRT was described in the TFWA Care announcement: “Based in New Jersey, the Rett Syndrome Research Trust conducts research into treatments and ultimately a cure for Rett Syndrome and related disorders. Rett Syndrome is considered the most physically disabling of the autism spectrum disorders and the leading genetic cause of severe impairment in girls. This neurological disorder robs afflicted girls of speech, hand use and normal movement. It may prove however to be the first reversible childhood neurological disorder.”

Monica Coenraads, the Executive Director of the Rett Syndrome Research Trust, was formerly with the Rett Syndrome Research Foundation (RSRF), which is now the International Rett Syndrome Foundation.

This article provides more information about Monica and the Rett Syndrome Research Trust. Here is how RSRT was described in its first fundraiser announcement in October 2007: “The Rett Syndrome Research Trust will be structured as a highly focused, agile and dynamic research organization, aggressively pursuing the goal of bringing a novel treatment strategy to clinical trials within five years. “Rett Syndrome strikes little girls at random, creating what was thought to be irrevocable neurological damage,” says Monica Coenraads, Executive Director of the Trust. “Our mission is to close the gap between the recent scientific breakthrough demonstrating reversibility in mice, and the establishment of this work to human application.”

While the RSRT web site is not yet functional, we were able to find this contact information for RSRT.

Monica Coenraads, Executive Director 121 Avenue of Two Rivers Rumson, NJ 07760 USA Phone: 203-243-5733; Fax: 203-445-9234 E-mail: monica@rsrt.org

Congratulations to the Rett Syndrome Research Trust. We look forward to hearing more about this organization’s future research plans and will keep you posted as we learn more.