For Rachael Rich, participating in research means shaping the future
Rachael Rich knows firsthand how research can change lives, especially for people living with rare diseases.
During her freshman year of college, Rachael was diagnosed with membranous nephropathy, a rare kidney disease. For people living with rare conditions, opportunities to join clinical trials can be limited. For Rachael, that opportunity came just six months after her diagnosis.
“I was very lucky,” she said.
By the end of the study, she was in remission and had built a lasting connection with the research team. During the year-long study, she got to know the team and formed close connections.
“I loved talking with the researcher who was leading the study, and her assistants, who were just so kind,” she said.
Finding inspiration in the waiting room
That experience did more than support her health. It changed how she saw her future.
Spending time in clinic waiting rooms and talking with other patients and families left a lasting impression.
“You’re in the waiting room, you’re talking to people, seeing how many people are affected by health issues, how it’s a family affair,” she said.
Those moments sparked her interest in public health and helping others navigate similar experiences.
That path led her to earn her Master of Public Health from the University of Minnesota. Today, she carries that work forward at the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP), formerly Be The Match, helping connect blood cancer patients with stem cell donors.
Continuing the impact
As her career in public health has grown, Rachael continues to participate in research. What once felt like luck, she now sees as something she can help extend to others.
She has joined studies on topics including sleep, genetic counseling, and cancer prevention.
For those considering research, she offers simple advice:
“What you could be contributing to can shape our future. It can shape our understanding of health and conditions and how we go about our lives.”