The annual Valley Fever Walk returned for the first time since 2019 to raise funds for the Valley Fever Institute.
The event took place at the Kern County Museum, where dozens gathered to support the cause.
The money raised from the walk helps to support the institute’s patient care, public information, and professional education activities.
Valley fever is a disease that affects people in the Central Valley, Washington state, and Arizona.
However, due to its limited range, it is difficult to get attention from national funding government agencies.
The Valley Fever Institute in Bakersfield is a patient-centered specialty care clinic that offers treatment, support services, education, and research.
Kern County is the most impacted county in the United States, with half the total number of patients in the state.
The Institute shares grant money with UC Davis, UCLA, and UC San Diego to study certain kinds of cells in patients’ genetics to find out why some people don’t get sick with valley fever, while others get severely ill.
The hope is that the research will lead to the development of newer drugs or the adoption of current drugs for treatment.
For more information, visit ValleyMom or KGET.com.
