Saving Young Lives by Advancing Research and Care for PANS and PANDAS

Supporting research, clinician education, and awareness for infection-associated neuropsychiatric disorders affecting children and young adults.

A simple infection should not change a young person’s life forever.

Yet for many families, illnesses like strep throat can trigger PANS and PANDAS—serious neuroimmune disorders that can cause sudden and severe psychiatric symptoms. Children and young adults who were once thriving can develop obsessive-compulsive behaviors, severe anxiety, tics, mood instability, and cognitive decline almost overnight.

With early diagnosis and treatment, many young people can return to their normal lives. Without timely intervention, these disorders can lead to lifelong disability—and in some cases, death.

Your support helps change that.

The Story Behind The Alex Manfull Fund

Alex was in the prime of her life.

A graduate of Phillips Exeter Academy and Princeton University, she was brilliant, creative, and endlessly curious. A prolific writer, voracious reader, artist, photographer, runner, and fashionista, Alex brought energy and insight to everything she did. She had already built a successful career as a financial analyst in New York City before recently moving to Washington, D.C. Above all, she was known for her humor and her extraordinary kindness.

For years, Alex quietly searched for answers to symptoms she ultimately recognized herself. Just weeks before her death, she received a formal diagnosis: PANDAS. For the first time, there was clarity—and hope. She was preparing to begin treatment with a leading specialist and was determined, once well, to write about PANDAS so that others would not have to endure what she had faced alone.

She died just days before treatment was set to begin.

Alex’s story is a profound reminder of what is at stake—and what remains to be done.

In the wake of this heartbreaking loss, Susan and Bill Manfull established The Alex Manfull Fund (TAMF) in honor of their daughter. Determined to prevent other families from experiencing the same loss, they created TAMF to advance research, train clinicians, and raise awareness about PANS and PANDAS—conditions that remain widely misunderstood and underdiagnosed.

Today, TAMF collaborates with leading institutions to support groundbreaking research and expand clinical expertise in this emerging field.

The Alex Manfull Fund is committed to a clear and urgent vision: that no life is ever again cut short—or interrupted—by infection-associated neuroimmune disorders such as PANDAS and PANS.

What Are PANS & PANDAS?

What Is 36 Hours?

36 Hours is TAMF’s signature annual gathering—a two-day series of events that brings together families, researchers, clinicians, advocates, and policymakers from across the United States.

Over the course of 36 hours, our community comes together to accelerate progress in research, treatment, and awareness for PANS and PANDAS.

It is a rare opportunity for the entire community—scientists, physicians, families, and supporters—to collaborate, share knowledge, and drive solutions that can improve the lives of children and young adults affected by these disorders.

Funds raised through this campaign will help advance research, clinician education, and awareness on infection-associated neuroimmune disorders, such as PANS & PANDAS, in children and young adults.

The Impact of Your Support

Funds raised during 36 Hours will help:

• Advance cutting-edge research on PANS and PANDAS
• Train more clinicians to diagnose and treat these disorders
• Educate families and healthcare professionals about early recognition and care
• Expand awareness so fewer children and young adults are misdiagnosed or left untreated

The Alex Manfull Fund has earned the Candid Platinum Seal of Transparency, a distinction held by fewer than 1% of nonprofits, reflecting our commitment to accountability and impact.

Help Us Change the Future

Your contributions will help accelerate vital research, education, and scientific collaborations needed to protect children's and young adults' brain health.

Your support can save a young person’s life.

36 Hours for PANS & PANDAS Advocacy in Motion: Presented by The Alex Manfull Fund

36 Hours is The Alex Manfull Fund’s signature two-day experience—including the TAMF 5K—where community and collaboration fuel progress in research, treatment, and hope for those impacted by PANS and PANDAS.