The National Organization for Rare Disorders has made February 28th World Rare Disease Day. A local woman is leading an effort here to raise awareness about an unusual disease she suffers from called scleroderma, a rare skin disease. It is an autoimmune problem that causes hardening of the skin and attacks the immune system and internal areas of the body.

Garnet Hoover is bringing members of the community together to draw attention to the disorder.

Hoover organized a Rocky Mountain Chapter of the Scleroderma Foundation attracting 9 other members from the Grand Valley area since last fall.

The group is part of 30 million Americans that suffer from a rare disease and Hoover said they may be more, "I know a woman myself who diagnosed herself because the doctors were puzzled about it."

Hoover says rare diseases are hard to pin point and more awareness about these types of conditions should be out there. Currently there are 160 support groups nationwide to help those affected. Hoover also said her group is working on a fundraising run this fall.

For more information about this rare disease, visit http://www.scleroderma.org.