About Us

At the Harriet Joyce Foundation, we hold these words close. They are not just a reflection on technology, they are a call to action. A reminder that while science and innovation continue to advance, those advancements are not reaching everyone equally. And in that gap—in that injustice—children are suffering.

We believe that where a child is born should not determine whether they live a full and healthy life. But today, too often, it does.

When I visit hospitals, rural clinics, or sit with families in Ecuador, I am reminded why we do this work. They’re me. I could be them. That child could have been me—or yours. That mother’s fear, that father’s hope, that grandparent’s quiet resilience, they are not foreign. They are familiar. Their dreams are ours. Their future is our responsibility.

That is why we have committed ourselves to building a future where genomic medicine, environmental safety, and quality healthcare are not reserved for a privileged few—but are accessible to every child, everywhere.

Together with partners like Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston Children’s Hospital and with the unwavering support of Ecuador’s Ministry of Health, we are working to bring cutting-edge newborn screening and rare disease care to the communities that need it most.

This is not charity. This is justice. And it is how we turn empathy into action.

To everyone who supports this mission—thank you for walking alongside us. You are helping to build a world where the future truly belongs to all of us.

And to every family, every parent, every child in Ecuador, I close with this message: You are seen. You are valued. You deserve the best science can offer. 

Thank you.

— Jeffrey Himmel
    President, The Harriet Joyce Foundation