Registered charity number: 281014
The Williams Syndrome Foundation is a charity dedicated to supporting people with Williams Syndrome - a rare congenital disorder that occurs randomly and affects around one in 18,000 people in the UK.
The Foundation organises regular online and national meetings as well as local gatherings for families. The Foundation offers funding for holidays for WS adults and families every year. The Foundation acts as support, information and advisory service and keeps members in touch through publications, events and a nationwide regional network. It also keeps a register of all known WS cases and provides access to professionals to promote research to improve the lives of the WS population.
The cause of Williams Syndrome is a tiny deletion of part of chromosome 7, which includes the elastin gene. A simple blood test can establish whether the elastin gene and other genes are missing. It is non-hereditary and causes distinctive facial characteristics and a wide range of learning difficulties. Infants often have delayed development and can develop physical and mental health problems, including anxiety and depression in later life. WS people tend to be talkative and excessively friendly towards adults.
