EP28 – Rare Mamas Rising-A Moving Mission with The Stiff Person Syndrome Research Foundation Founder and President Dr. Tara Zier

In 2017, Dr. Tara Zier, a graduate of the VCU School of Dentistry and Virginia Tech, a black belt in karate, and a mother of two, was forced to leave a twenty-year career in dentistry and stop the practice of karate due to Stiff Person Syndrome. Today, Zier is the founder and president of The Stiff Person Syndrome Research Foundation (SPSRF), which she established in 2019 to raise awareness and funds for better treatments and a cure. In 2021, The SPSRF was selected to receive a three-year “Rare As One” grant from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, and in 2022, Zier established a Medical Advisory Board, including neurologists from Mayo Clinic, Johns Hopkins Medicine, and others. Zier and The SPSRF have been featured in The Washington Post, Voice of America, ABC News in Washington, and various media outlets worldwide. In this episode, Dr. Zier exudes strength of purpose as she fights for treatment and better quality of life for those with Stiff Person Syndrome. She won’t be still as she moves forward on her mission!