Non-profit funding sight-saving research for children
Stories of Hope
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University College London named Dr. Victor Hernandez, co-founder of Axovia Therapeutics, to its 200 Faces. In thanking the people behind his gene therapy for Bardet-Biedl syndrome, he singled out A Race Against Blindness.
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Every dollar below has been paid out to research, made possible by the generosity of our sponsors and donors. Real people making an impact on saving children's eyesight.
total research funding, fully paid out · as of October 2026
$3M awarded
To fund the preclinical development and regulatory preparation of AXV-101, a gene therapy for Bardet-Biedl Syndrome type 1 (BBS1), advancing the program toward its first human clinical trial.
$1M awarded
To support clinical development of the first-in-human trial, including trial preparation and regulatory progress following clinical trial clearance.
$2.1M awarded
To close the remaining funding gap required to launch the AXV-101 clinical trial, enabling the study to begin in early 2026; and, through a grant to the Foundation Fighting Blindness, to fund early-stage gene therapy research with Dr. Thomas Mendel and gene-agnostic therapy (NACA) aimed at slowing vision loss in RP. A matched donor brought in an additional $775,000, bringing the total impact of that grant round to $1.55M.
Awareness Through Advertising Our ad campaigns are about more than prizes. They spark awareness for Bardet-Biedl Syndrome, connect us daily with families across rare disease and vision loss communities, and help lift up the work of other nonprofits. Every ad is a chance to build awareness, connection, and impact.
Read moreSome wonder why we host several fundraisers each year. The answer is urgency: children with Bardet-Biedl Syndrome are losing vision every day. Running multiple campaigns helps us raise funds quickly, reach more people, and keep hope alive for sight-saving research.
Read moreIf you’ve seen our ads online, that’s intentional — it means our mission to fight blindness is reaching more people. Learn why advertising is a key investment in awareness and fundraising.
Read moreWe take donor stewardship seriously. See exactly how your contributions are used to advance research, raise awareness, and deliver prizes to sweepstakes winners — with full transparency.
Read moreTransparency is at our core. Here’s how you can verify our nonprofit status, read our annual reports, and see independent recognition from trusted organizations.
Read moreYour trust matters. In this article, we explain how we process donations securely, protect your personal data, and ensure safe participation in our fundraisers.
Read moreEver wondered how our sweepstakes winners are chosen? This article walks you through our process, from third-party administration to prize delivery, and shows you how you can enter without making a donation.
Read moreEvery fundraiser we run has one ultimate purpose: funding research that can save and restore vision. This article shows how your donation moves from entry to lab.
Read moreWe know trust is earned. That’s why we created this 6-part Behind the Scenes series to show exactly how A Race Against Blindness operates — from how winners are chosen, to where donations go, to how we keep your data safe. Learn about our processes, our funding, and our commitment to transparency.
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