In July of 2017, families had the opportunity to meet at a medical conference for 17q12 syndromes in Chicago, IL. It was there that a group of people, all interested in 17q12, came together to become an official non-profit organization. 17q12 Foundation's board consists of five parents; all who are volunteering their time. We represent individuals and families with either chromosome 17q12 microdeletion syndrome or microduplication syndrome. Our goal is to provide support, begin a registry to gain an accurate number of individuals affected, fund much-needed research, and to create awareness and understanding.