Awareness and Education

The RLS Foundation Surpasses Goals for the Year

Nearly 25 years ago, the Foundation began as a tiny group of dedicated individuals meeting around a kitchen table in Raleigh, North Carolina. We grew to become a bustling organization located in Austin, Texas, with an expansive network of nearly 5,000 dedicated members.

Since its inception, the Foundation has provided over $1.6 million in support of RLS research, and we are still the leading organization for science-based education and patient services for those suffering from RLS.

Just consider what we have accomplished over the past 12 months alone:

1. Certified five additional RLS Quality Care Centers

2. Reinvigorated our research grant program by committing to award up to eight new pilot grants totaling $200,000

3. Developed a teen guide and children’s booklet to help our youth manage the challenges of RLS

4. Created a multidisciplinary Scientific and Medical Advisory Board

5. Launched research into the economic impact of RLS and its treatment

6. Rolled out a far-reaching Year of Augmentation awareness and education program – distributing and promoting an augmentation white paper research summary to nearly 50,000 healthcare providers

The Foundation also created a support group leader "RLS and Augmentation" tool kit, and released our RLS and Augmentation video, which has already been watched by thousands.



The Foundation has also been active in educating the medical community this year by attending SLEEP, a joint meeting of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Sleep Research Society, in Denver, Colorado. We were also present in November at the annual conference for the Society of Neuroscience in San Diego. Both events attract thousands of researchers and healthcare providers that are eager to learn more about RLS and other sleep disorders.


We are so proud of all we have accomplished this year on behalf of the RLS community, but we could not have done any of it without the generous donations given by both members and nonmembers alike. Together, we have hit incredible milestones - big achievements executed by a small staff and a network of dedicated volunteers.

To everyone who has helped us get to where we are, we thank you!