Connective Issues Fall 2025

Introducing Our Refreshed Brand: Know. Connect. Thrive.

The Marfan Foundation is thrilled to share a refreshed brand that more deeply reflects our values and celebrates our community members as individuals empowered to act in positive ways toward optimal quality of life and longevity. After more than a year of thoughtful input from volunteers, community members, sta ff —and with approval from our Board of Directors—we unveiled an updated mission, vision, tagline, and visual identity first informally at Conference and then formally early this fall. The Foundation’s Chief Communications and Marketing O ffi cer April Dawn Shinske worked closely with our longtime graphic designer who

the services and resources the Foundation provides for education, a sense of belonging, and to live the best life possible. We believe each individual defines what it means to uniquely “thrive.” Our focus is on empowerment and quality of life, and our new brand voice better represents who we are today. A Fresh Look To create a greater sense of unity and inclusiveness among divisions, the new Foundation logo wording is now all in red. In addition, our division logos now clearly link our

Marfan Foundation umbrella brand to our condition-spe cific work with added text, helping the public quickly understand who we are and who we serve. The added col or spectrum bars reinforce the unity among divisions. Our purple is now a brighter hue, aswell. “One major goal of the refresh was to help the general

understands the unique needs of our community to create a modern design that captures our cohesiveness, while staying true to our identity. The brand was last refreshed a decade ago. “We embarked on this brand refresh by first listening to our community, gathering feedback, assessing comment trends in the digital space,

public and media more quickly and easily understand the work we do on behalf of the genetic aortic community, strengthening and scaling up the ways we are able to build awareness among both medical professionals and laypeople alike,” said April Dawn. Strengthening Global Connections As part of this refresh, the GenTAC Alliance is now the Genetic Aortic Network, a division of the Foundation that convenes global scientists and fosters collaborations to advance treatments and outcomes worldwide. An updated logo now features a globe, reinforcing the Network’s “This refreshed brand reflects the voices of our com munity,” said Michael Weamer, President and CEO. “It cap tures the spirit of resilience, the drive for progress, and the commitment to ensuring that every person with a genetic aortic or vascular condition has the opportunity not just to live longer, but to thrive.” international focus and reach. Moving Forward Together

and ultimately working to ensure our mission was being expressed in ways that foster empowerment and belonging,” said April Dawn. “We are grateful to our Board of Directors Chair, Bert Medina, our leadership volunteers, and our community at-large for making this update possible. We are excited to enable more people to Know. Connect. Thrive. every day!” Our Updated Mission and Vision Our mission now emphasizes not only research, education, and support, but also the importance of building community to improve outcomes, save lives, and empower all people living with Marfan, Loeys-Dietz, VEDS, and related genetic aortic and vascular conditions. Our vision is bold and clear: Quality of life, longevity, and cures for all people with genetic aortic and vascular conditions. A Tagline That Speaks to Everyone Our new tagline, Know. Connect. Thrive., reflects what it means to be part of this community and highlights

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