009 - Ron Bartek, Co-Founder and President, FARA

We are honored to interview Ron Bartek, president and co-founder of the Friedreich’s Ataxia Research Alliance, or FARA. Since both of us have FA, this organization and Ron himself are special to us.

In a word, Ron is a peacemaker. Kyle starts off by reading Ron’s long and impressive bio.. Of special note to Ron is that he was able to be a part of the negotiation team for the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty between The United States and The Soviet Union. As a school kid, Ron dreamed of being able to know enough about global superpowers that he would be able to help orchestrate peace between the US and the Soviet Union. After an impressive military career, he was a part of the INF Treaty, which helped put an end to the Cold War.

Shortly after that treaty was signed, Ron’s son was diagnosed with the rare disorder Friedreich’s ataxia (FA). Suddenly the world of the rare disease community opened up to him, and he decided to use his ample peacemaking skills in the fight against FA.