At just 14, Aidan Abbott has won a national award for advocating at the federal level! On December 2, 2019, the Wisconsin native received a RareVoice Award for Teen Advocacy from the Rare Disease Legislative Advocates (RDLA) in a special ceremony in Washington, D.C.
The awards are an annual celebration to honor advocates who give rare disease patients a voice on Capitol Hill.
Aidan, who has ectodermal dysplasia, has been sharing his story for years to raise awareness. He, his parents, Becky and Tom, and younger brother, Ryder, are passionate advocates and visit D.C. several times a year to meet with legislators.
Aidan inspired Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) to introduce the Ensuring Lasting Smiles Act in the U.S. Senate in August of 2018 and then re-introduce it in February of 2019. He even named the bill!
This high school freshman has also written blogs for the NFED, giving his top 10 reasons why kids should advocate.
We are so proud of Aidan and what he has accomplished not only for other with ectodermal dysplasias but all congenital anomalies! – Mary Fete, NFED