Medical research drives improvements in medical care. Serious diseases that affect many patients attract a lot of research attention. Rare, life-threatening conditions, however, are often not the subject of research, because so few patients may benefit from the results. That’s where patient-driven research comes in. The term refers to patients and their families who advocate for, and otherwise support through funding and publicity, research addressing these rare conditions. The New York Times recently published an article about these patient-driven research efforts, highlighting the experiences of these affected families. The article brings home the importance of medical research in a very personal way.