What Is the MdDS Foundation Website?

Updated

mddsfoundation.org is the website of the MdDS Foundation, a nonprofit focused on Mal de Débarquement Syndrome (MdDS) — a neurological disorder that leaves patients feeling as if they are rocking and swaying, "as if on an invisible boat." The site is an information and support hub for patients, families, and clinicians, not a store or transactional platform. If you are trying to understand what MdDS is, find diagnostic or coping information, or connect with research and patient-community resources, this is the organization's main public entry point.

What the site covers

The site organizes its content around the patient journey, from first symptoms to living with the condition:

  • About & FAQ — an overview of the disorder and common questions
  • Symptoms — what the condition feels like, including a visual aid for rating symptom severity on a 0–10 scale ("Know Your Numbers")
  • How to Diagnose — guidance on the diagnostic process
  • Living with MdDS and Coping Tips — practical day-to-day management
  • Find Support — community and peer connections
  • Professional Resources — material aimed at clinicians and researchers
  • Latest Research — updates on studies and findings

There is also an explainer video and a "Faces of MdDS" section featuring patient stories, plus a blog with announcements, research news, and first-person accounts.

Research and patient data

Two features distinguish the site from a general health-information page:

  • Global patient registry — described as a way to help answer important questions about the natural history of MdDS.
  • Next Generation Research Grant (NGRG) — offered in partnership with the American Brain Foundation. The site describes it as a two-year, $150,000 award supporting early-career researchers studying MdDS disease mechanisms or translational research aimed at developing treatments.

Facts the site emphasizes

The foundation frames MdDS as under-recognized and underfunded:

  • It is typically triggered by motion — cars, trains, airplanes, ships, boats, and even fast elevators.
  • The average person sees 20 or more doctors before receiving a diagnosis.
  • Many people have MdDS without knowing it, and the scale of the problem is not matched by research dollars.

The site quotes Yoon-Hee Cha, MD, describing the MdDS phenomenon as "the natural result of the human brain adapting to environmental motion" and "the quintessential neurological disorder."

Who it is for

Audience What they will find useful
Patients Symptom explanations, coping tips, support connections, patient stories, registry
Family and friends Plain-language overview of the disorder and its effects
Clinicians and researchers Diagnostic guidance, professional resources, research updates, grant information
Donors and supporters Information on the foundation's research funding mission

What it is not

The site does not sell products or services, and the available page information shows no pricing, payment platforms, or e-commerce signals. It functions as an educational, advocacy, and community resource. If you are looking for a diagnosis or treatment decisions, the site's diagnostic and professional sections are starting points for conversations with a qualified clinician rather than a substitute for care.