One of the most common follow-up questions behind
“is a race against blindness legit” is this:
Why are there so many fundraisers running at once?
It’s a fair question — and we appreciate people asking it directly.
Here’s the honest answer.
Research timelines don’t move in single lanes
Clinical research doesn’t progress neatly, one step at a time.
Multiple things often need funding simultaneously, including:
-
preclinical work
-
manufacturing and regulatory preparation
-
trial design and site readiness
-
patient recruitment infrastructure
Waiting to fund one piece before starting the next can slow everything down — sometimes by years.
Running multiple fundraisers allows progress to happen in parallel, not in sequence.
Vision loss doesn’t wait for one campaign to end
The diseases we focus on — including BBS-related retinitis pigmentosa — are progressive.
Children and young adults are losing retinal cells every day.
That means:
-
delaying funding delays trials
-
delaying trials delays treatment
-
delaying treatment risks permanent vision loss
Running one fundraiser at a time might feel simpler — but it doesn’t match the urgency of the disease.
Each fundraiser is independent and transparent
Another concern we hear is whether overlapping fundraisers are somehow combined or unclear.
They aren’t.
Each fundraiser:
-
has its own official rules
-
has a clear start and end date
-
is administered independently
-
results in a separate winner selection
There’s no rollover, no subscription, and no obligation to participate in more than one.
Supporters can enter one, many, or none — entirely by choice.
Different fundraisers reach different people
Not everyone connects with the same prize or campaign.
Multiple fundraisers help us:
-
reach different audiences
-
engage people who may not otherwise donate
-
bring awareness to rare diseases beyond the existing community
In fact, many people tell us they learned about Bardet-Biedl Syndrome or inherited retinal disease for the very first time through one of our campaigns.
That awareness matters.
This model supports momentum, not excess
Running multiple fundraisers isn’t about volume for volume’s sake.
It’s about maintaining momentum so research doesn’t stall between campaigns.
Momentum matters when:
-
labs are ready to move forward
-
researchers are waiting on funding
-
patients are waiting on trials
Stopping and restarting slows everything.
The bigger picture
If you’re asking “is a race against blindness legit,” it’s worth knowing this:
Multiple fundraisers aren’t a red flag — they’re a response to a rare disease reality where time, funding, and vision are tightly linked.
This model exists because the mission requires it.
The bottom line
We run more than one fundraiser at a time because:
-
research doesn’t pause
-
vision loss doesn’t slow down
-
families can’t afford delays
And because every campaign helps move us closer to treatments that preserve sight.
Still have questions?
This article is part of our ongoing series answering one of the most common questions we see online:
“Is A Race Against Blindness legit?”
Each article explores a different aspect of our organization — from transparency and compliance to community experiences and independent verification.
👉 Read the full series here:
Trust, Transparency, and Our Mission: Is A Race Against Blindness Legit?
