The Eczema Community We’re Creating Together

Eczema isn’t just a condition you manage, it’s something you live with every day. It shows up in quiet moments and public ones, in routines, relationships and everyday decisions. It can mean planning around flare-ups, explaining your skin to others or navigating uncertainty about what will help and what won’t. For many people, it also means feeling misunderstood, learning through trial and error and becoming your own advocate along the way.

“Living with eczema, or caring for someone who does, shapes how you move through the world,” says Kristin Belleson, NEA President & CEO. “It affects your confidence, your routines and the choices you make every day. Our commitment at NEA is to listen deeply to those experiences and translate them into action, so people feel less alone, better informed and more supported in every stage of their journey.”

And yet, within those challenges, something powerful happens. People affected by eczema find one another. They share what they’ve learned, push for better treatments and policies and create connections with others who truly understand what it’s like to live in this skin.

That lived experience is at the heart of how NEA is showing up today.

Seen, heard, uplifted

Our vision: A world where every person affected by eczema is understood, supported and empowered

No two eczema journeys look the same, and yours shouldn’t have to fit a mold. People living with eczema deserve to be seen as whole individuals. We’re working toward a future where care connects the pieces of your life instead of treating symptoms in isolation. A future where empathy, equity, and understanding are not aspirational goals but everyday standards.

Together for better outcomes

Our mission: To improve the health and quality of life for people affected by eczema, and empower those who advocate, support and deliver care

Whether you’re a parent caring for a child, an adult newly diagnosed, a longtime patient or a healthcare provider supporting patients, your voice matters here. That’s why initiatives like Eczema Expo, NEA’s patient education and networking conference, are being thoughtfully reimagined with community input. When Expo returns, it will reflect real needs, real questions

and real experiences, designed to deliver deeper connection and greater impact for everyone involved.

Values that guide what comes next

Nothing about us without us

Being community-centered means listening first. It means turning real-world stories about sleepless nights, treatment frustrations, moments of relief and hard-won confidence into meaningful action. When resources reflect real life, they become tools people can actually use.

We are truth-seekers

The eczema landscape is evolving quickly. New research, treatments and insights are emerging all the time, and navigating that information alone can feel overwhelming. That’s why this community is grounded in science, evidence and shared learning. Our goal is to help you understand your options clearly, ask informed questions that feel right for you without hype or misinformation.

Accountability builds trust

Trust matters. We earn it by matching our words with action, being transparent about how decisions are made and staying focused on what creates the greatest impact for people living with eczema.

Accountability means asking hard questions, learning when something doesn’t work and staying committed to continuous improvement.

Growing and evolving with lived experience

This work will continue to grow and change alongside the community it serves. One question will remain constant: Does this truly make life better for people affected by eczema?

As we move forward, three priorities will guide our work:

1. Access to trusted resources and connection

Make it easier to find reliable information, practical tools and others who share this lived experience, so managing eczema feels more supported and less isolating.

2. Influence the systems shaping eczema care

Drive progress through research, policy, access and innovation, so care works better for you and everyone in the community.

3. Building resilience for lasting impact

Strengthen the foundation needed to sustain growth and innovation, ensuring this work continues to serve the community for years to come.

Created with you, for everyone in the eczema community

The reimagined mission, vision and values aren’t about NEA, they’re about people. About honoring where you are today, investing in what you need now and building a future where living with eczema comes with more understanding, support and possibility.

“Being close to someone living with chronic illness teaches you how important it is to listen before acting,” says Sarah Young O’Donnell, Chair of the Board of Directors. “At NEA, we take that responsibility seriously. Every experience shared with us helps shape how we move forward, so the organization remains grounded in what people affected by eczema actually need.”

This is how we improve health, quality of life and empowerment for everyone affected by eczema, together.