The APS Type 1 community had a patient voice on Capitol Hill this summer. Samantha Finch shared her journey at a Congressional briefing on autoimmune disease research—and how research can change the lives of patients and families.
On July 22, 2026, the Autoimmune Association and the National Coalition of Autoimmune Patient Groups hosted a Congressional briefing focused on the NIH Office of Autoimmune Disease Research and the future of autoimmune research.
Nineteen-year-old Samantha Finch shared what it has been like to grow up with APS Type 1, including years of misdiagnosis, hospitalizations, extensive treatment, fatigue, and disruptions to school. She also spoke about the difference research has made in her life and her plans to pursue nursing. Her mother and APS Type 1 Foundation Board Member, Robin Finch, described the family’s long search for answers and emphasized the importance of sustained federal investment in autoimmune research.
The briefing also featured Dr. Maureen Su, a member of the Foundation’s Medical Advisory Committee, who discussed research aimed at treating the immune dysfunction that drives autoimmune endocrine disease rather than only replacing hormones after damage has occurred. Also featured in the photo above is Dr. Victoria Shanmugam, the inaugural director of the NIH Office of Autoimmune Disease Research.