Vision, Mission, Values and Activities

VISION STATEMENT

A future without Dupuytren disease.

MISSION STATEMENT

Our mission is to do whatever is needed to develop and test preventive treatments for Dupuytren disease and related conditions. Our core effort focuses on answering the greatest need in Dupuytren treatment: developing a Dupuytren blood test.

CORE VALUES

• Our core question is “What is the best we can do for families affected by Dupuytren disease?”.
• Our core belief is that the best form of Dupuytren advocacy is finding a cure.
• Our core activities are Dupuytren outreach, education, and research.
• Our core team is patients, scientists, and physicians working together.
• Our core mandate is to pioneer research to cure Dupuytren disease and related conditions.

SIGNIFICANT ACTIVITIES

Dupuytren Research Group activities revolve around the goal of developing safer, more effective treatment of Dupuytren disease through targeted research and education.

We have four current research program initiatives.

• The International Dupuytren Data Bank, an international research project designed to develop a biomarker blood test panel for Dupuytren disease and related conditions. A Dupuytren blood test will be a barometer of Dupuytren disease activity. It will provide objective data to determine the best procedure for each patient based on their individual biology and predict procedure outcomes. Most important, a Dupuytren biomarker is crucial to be able to develop and test treatments to prevent disease progression and recurrence after corrective procedures.
• The Dupuytren Topography Project, a study developed to identify relationships between biologic risk factors and physical patterns of disease to develop a predictive model to guide treatment recommendations.
• The Dupuytren Library, the largest existing collection of full-text academic Dupuytren publications.
• The Sixty Second Survey project. In this program, short focused-topic research surveys are conducted online to document patient concerns and experiences and close the gap between physician perception and the lived experience of Dupuytren disease.

Education is critical to increasing Dupuytren awareness in both medical and patient sectors. Our main education and outreach program activities are as follows.

• Our website, Dupuytrens.org, provides regularly updated information on Dupuytren disease geared to both professionals and the lay public. This content is distributed further through social media.
• DRG directors regularly give academic presentations at academic conferences.
• DRG directors regularly publish academic articles and textbook chapters.
• DRG directors serve on boards of other Dupuytren advocacy groups around the globe.
• The DRG creates and distributes educational brochures to physicians, therapists, patients and patient advocates without cost.
• DRG produces and hosts educational videos for both academic and lay viewers.
• Dr. Eaton provides one-on-one patient consultations with Dupuytren sufferers by phone, email, video conference, and in-office.