About Progress for PANS

Why I Started This

Hi! My name is Wynter Aria and I am the founder of Progress for PANS. I started this organization because I myself am a PANDAS survivor. I was incredibly disappointed by the utter lack of resources and support for those struggling with this illness so I decided to do something about it. My mom suggested starting some sort of charity and from there we just took off! I hope this space can be one of safety and inspiration for those who've struggled with the same things I have as well as a space to learn and grow for those who haven't.

What is PANS?

PANS stands for pediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome. PANDAS (pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorder associated with streptococcal infections) falls under this umbrella.

It is a disorder mostly affecting children ages 3 to puberty in which antibodies over fire in the wake of an infection, causing them to attack a child's brain by mistake. This causes a whole host of neuropsychiatric symptoms including OCD, tics, anxiety, and more. While this illness is not widely known, it can be devastating for those experiencing it.

What We Do

We are an organization focused on educating people on PANS/PANDAS as well as aiding families dealing with this illness themselves.

We aim to accomplish our mission by providing easily accessible educational resources as well as providing grants for families in need.