Chromosome Disorder Outreach Inc. is a non-profit organization which was founded in 1992 by a group of seven parents raising children born with rare chromosome disorders. The Genetic Alliance helped CDO get its start that year, and CDO was approved as a member of the National Organization of Rare Disorders (NORD) in 1998.
Our mission is to provide support and information to anyone diagnosed with a rare chromosome change, rearrangement or disorder. Additionally CDO actively promotes research and a positive community understanding of all chromosome disorders. CDO envisions a time in the not too distant future when doctors will have a great deal of information available on each and every chromosome disorder. They will be able to tell parents symptoms associated with a particular deletion, duplication or other disorder as well as what not to worry about. It is also our hope that appropriate therapies or other treatments will be recommended specific to particular disorders and that affected individuals will have a much greater chance of a fuller life. This is already beginning to happen and it is CDO’s goal to further support this research in any way possible.
To further the dissemination of the most accurate and appropriate information, CDO offers an extensive library of available up-to-date articles to members and also maintains a detailed database registry. We publish periodic newsletters, provide access to research opportunities and interaction with our medical advisory board. And most importantly we offer our members connections with others who are coping with the same or similar chromosomal diagnosis through our personalized networking programs. Our Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and other social media sites offer individuals and families coping with a rare disorder diagnosis a chance to reach out 24 hours a day. CDO is able to provide support and information to families around the world.
The impact CDO has on families is immeasurable. Please see our Annual Report to learn more about CDO's impact, as well as read about future plans and to see its financial report.
CDO is affiliated with the following organizations:
CDO thanks the very skilled professionals on our medical advisory board. By donating their time to help all our families, their support and assistance is invaluable.
- Sally Daugherty Attorney at Law Salmon, Ricchezza, Singer & Turchi, LLP, Philadephia PA
- Katharine Elizabeth Donaldson Grief Counselor, Perinatal Clinical Nurse Specialist, Capital Health System, Trenton, NJ
- Michael D. Graf, MS, CGC, MBA Director, Client Services, DNA Direct, San Francisco, CA
- Mary Haag, Ph.D. Director, Genetics Laboratory Shodair Hospital Helena, MT
- Vaidehi Jobanputra, Ph.D., FACMG Assistant Professor, Columbia University Medical Center
- Dr. Shashikant Kulkarni Director, Clinical & Molecular Cytogenetics, Laboratory & Genomic Medicine, Pathology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO
- Iosif W. Lurie, M.D. Ph.D. Consultant, National Human Genome Institute National Institutes of Health Bethesda, MD
- Thomas Morgan M.D. Medical Geneticist, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine and Vanderbilt Childrens Hospital
- Alexis Feldman Poss Certified Genetic Counselor, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC
- Myra Irene Roche Certified Genetic Counselor Associate Professor in Pediatrics, Dept. of Pediatrics, UNC-CH
- Carole Samango Sprouse, Ed.D. Director Neurodevelopmental Center for Young Children Assistant Clinical Professor - Dept of Pediatrics George Washington, University Washington, DC
- Lisa Struss, M.A. CCC-SLP Speech Language Pathologist
- Donna Wallerstein, M.S. Pediatric/Prenatal Genetic Counselor, Hackensack University Medical Center, Hackensack, NJ
- Robert Wallerstein, M.D. Genetics Service, Hackensack University Medical Center Hackensack, NJ
- Christopher A. Walsh, M.D., Ph.D. Bullard Professor of Neurology, Harvard Medical School Boston, MA
- Andrew R. Zinn, M.D., Ph.D. Associate Professor of Internal Medicine, University Texas Southwestern Medical School
CDO is managed primarily by volunteer parents of children with rare chromosome disorders. CDO is directed by a four member, elected board serving two-year terms, and all parents are encouraged, and welcome to help in any way you can.
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Linda Sorg, mom of Elizabeth, unbalanced translocation 5p;7q, has been President of CDO since 1996. To email Linda, please click here
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Darlene Axelsson, mom of Lukas, 7q deletion, currently handles CDOs networking responsibilities. She has been a member since 1997, is Co-President, and a Director since 2007. To email Darlene, please click here.
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Adreanna Tarwater, mom of Nathan, 7;18 unbalanced translocation, has been a CDO director since April 2005. Adreanna is the current Treasurer and assists with membership correspondence. To email Adreanna, please click here.
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Julie Hofer, mom of Andrew, 9q31.2-q32 deletion, has been the CDO Librarian since May 2002.
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Heidi Lerner, mom of Max, 6q deletion 16.1-21, has been a director since 2009.
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Kelly Paulson, mom of Gus, 3p25.3-26.3 deletion, has been a board member since 2013.
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Lori Wachter, mom of Emily, 3q29 deletion, has been a newsletter editor since 2013.
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