Sarcoidosis is a debilitating and sometimes fatal inflammatory condition that can affect nearly every organ in the body. Immune cells cluster throughout the body, causing many individuals with sarcoidosis to struggle with extreme fatigue, difficulty breathing, joint pain, fever, and eye inflammation. In some cases, the symptoms may last from one to two years, but for others, it could be a lifelong battle with sarcoidosis, which has no cure. The existing treatments may address inflammation, but many of them have significant side effects, such as diabetes or weight gain. If left unmanaged, sarcoidosis can lead to severe organ damage and even death.

Philanthropic capital can accelerate progress in biomedical research, especially in underfunded fields like sarcoidosis. Since 2020, the Milken Institute Science Philanthropy Accelerator for Research and Collaboration (SPARC) has been working in partnership with the Ann Theodore Foundation to solicit and fund research aimed at advancing scientific understanding of sarcoidosis in order to alleviate the hardship this disease causes.