RALLY FOR RARE 2025: HOW SCOUT DELIVERED IN JUST 3 DAYS

Three days. 

That’s all the time the Scout Meetings team had to make the Rally for Rare a reality. 

It started when the NIH and FDA canceled their Rare Disease Day event at the last minute. For the rare disease community, this is an essential chance to connect, share knowledge, and find support. Losing it wasn’t an option. 

When Executive Chairman Paige Bingham saw the call for help from Worldwide Clinical Trials (WCT) online, she took action immediately. The message was clear: this needed to happen—fast. 

Enter James Lyden, Scout Meetings Program Manager extraordinaire. He stepped in and took charge on Tuesday morning, with just three days to plan and organize every detail. 

Here’s how James and the team made it work: 

• Registration and outreach: Scout created a registration site on Monday night, promoting it through social media to drive attendance. 

• Venue coordination: WCT had secured a hotel, and James stepped in to finalize room setups, timeline details, food and beverage, and A/V requirements. 

• Flexibility in action: With attendance numbers fluctuating, James adjusted room arrangements, scaled catering, and worked tirelessly with the hotel staff to meet the new requirements. 

• On-site execution: Flying in from London to Washington D.C., James spent Thursday fine-tuning the agenda with WCT and ensuring everything was ready. By Friday morning, the meeting started at 8 a.m. sharp. 

Attendees shared ideas, learned from one another, and left inspired after coming together for an event that almost didn’t happen. One participant shared, "I was pleasantly surprised by how many ideas this presentation sparked." Another remarked, “Loved this! Great perspectives and interesting takes.” 

Why It Worked 

Scout doesn’t just promise precision and care—we deliver it. 

From real-time changes to high-pressure timelines, we adapt and problem-solve so everything runs smoothly. Rally for Rare was no exception. And while we were proud to support the Rare Disease Community at no cost, this level of commitment is standard for every project we take on. 

What We Can Do for You 

• Meetings of any size, tailored to your needs 

• Expertise across all therapeutic areas 

• End-to-end planning so nothing is overlooked 

Scout has operated in over 100 countries worldwide, creating solutions that meet complex challenges wherever they arise. Within that, the Scout Meetings team has successfully planned events in 60 of those countries, refining the details to make each one shine. 

Our dedication extends beyond meetings, too. On the Scout Clinical side, we support patients by handling everything from travel logistics to reimbursement. We help patients stay in trials, making the process as stress-free as possible. And with Scout Academy, teams can stay connected and audit-ready with training and certification tools. 

When Scout says we’re here to help, we mean it. 

Need a partner you can trust when timelines are tight? Click here to learn more about our services. 

Oh, and if you're wondering about the dog in the thumbnail, that sweet pup was also a Rally for  Rare attendee, and, of course, James had to take a picture with the cutest attendee!