Founded in February 2024, RAREserved is a University of Washington student organization dedicated to amplifying the voices of those living with rare diseases. We work to close the gap between rare disease experiences and public awareness through narrative-based journal articles and advocacy. Our teams, including research, interview, writing, graphic design, and outreach, collaborate to tell stories that inform, humanize, and advocate.
RAREserved was founded by Angel Lee, whose family member went undiagnosed with Klippel-Trenaunay Syndrome (KTS) for 22 years — a vascular disorder affecting 1 in 100,000 people that even operating surgeons had never encountered. Angel later founded RAREserved to ensure that stories like her family's are told, heard, and advocated for.
Meet the Leads!
Angel Lee
Graduated UW 2025
Major: Biology
Anna Valpiani
Junior
Major: Microbiology
Anika Kumar
Junior
Major: Psychology
Alicia Xu
Senior
Major: MCD Biology
Sawyer Hyde
Sophomore
Major: Business
Krish Shah
Junior
Major: MCD Biology
Ash Su
Junior
Major: Anthropology and Biology
Samir Ernst
Junior
Major: Psychology and History