We CU means we see you
We CU was founded in response to the need for a U.S. patient advocacy organization focused solely on chronic urticaria (CU).
Launched in February 2025, We CU now serves all in the U.S. affected by CU and their families. The organization aims to bring together patients, caregivers, health care providers, and advocates to advance awareness, provide education, advocate for policy change, and support research that can lead to new treatments and better quality of life with CU.
“We know that half a million people live with the daily burden of urticaria, yet until now, there was no nonprofit group dedicated solely to this condition,” said Kristen Willard, MS, patient, founding member and Executive Director of We CU. “Our goal is to unite our efforts and focus on the unmet needs of the urticaria community.”
We CU’s founders — now its board of directors — established four key areas of work to benefit the CU community:
Awareness and education: Increasing awareness of CU among our communities, health care professionals, and decision makers is essential to ensure you receive the proper diagnosis, that recognition of CU isn’t delayed, and that you get the care and support you need and deserve. We share educational resources and tools to help you understand your symptoms, manage your condition, and feel better equipped to make decisions about your care and CU journey.
Community: We believe that no one should face CU alone, and we are building a community to offer a home for those looking for understanding and support.
Advocacy: Advocacy helps call attention to obstacles to care and offers solutions, amplifying the voices of patients and families, and highlighting systemic gaps in care that might otherwise go unaddressed.
Our advocacy efforts focus on:
- Improving access to specialists, diagnostics, and treatments.
- Increasing public awareness.
- Fostering better understanding of CU among policy makers, the general public, and health care providers.
Research: We CU will support research that prioritizes the experiences and needs of people with CU. From engaging people with CU in clinical trials to hosting focus groups that provide insight into living with CU, we are committed to ensuring that your perspectives shape innovation and treatment.
Along with Kristen, We CU’s founding members include:
- Jonathan A. Bernstein, MD, Adjunct Professor of Clinical Medicine in Rheumatology, Allergy and Immunology at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center and a partner of Advanced Allergy Services and Bernstein Clinical Research Center.
- Karen Rance, DNP, CPNP, Chief Medical Officer at the Global Allergy & Airways Patient Platform (GAAPP), who is a seasoned medical affairs executive with more than two decades of experience in the allergy field.
- Tonya Winders, MBA, President and CEO of GAAPP, who has more than 25 years of experience in respiratory and immunology patient advocacy.
Check out our board members’ professional bios. We will continue to share updates in our newsletter on We CU’s progress.