Look. Foundation

06/01/2026

Last chance to help Jimmy reach his fundraising goal before race day! 🏊🚴🏃

On June 7, Jimmy will take on the IRONMAN 70.3 in support of the Look. Foundation, completing a 1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike ride, and 13.1-mile run all in a single day.
Every mile he trains for and every mile he races helps raise awareness for children and families affected by PANS/PANDAS.

Through his dedication and determination, Jimmy is helping shine a light on these often misunderstood conditions while supporting Look.'s mission to educate, advocate, and bring hope to families in need.

We're incredibly grateful for the commitment and heart he's brought to this journey. As race day approaches, help us cheer him on and support his efforts to make a difference. 🧡

Text JIMMY703 to 53-555 to donate, or visit: https://givebutter.com/Jimmy703 .

06/01/2026

"My dad, Rob Willey.....

When I was five, I was diagnosed with PANS. Throughout my journey, my mom managed countless appointments and advocated to make sure I got the care I needed and my dad was my biggest supporter.

He celebrated the good days with me, and he was always there for the hard ones.

When it felt like my body and mind were completely out of control, he would sit with me and tell me stories until I could fall asleep.

He didn’t just support me—he fought for me.

And by continuing to support this cause, it feels like he’s still doing that. Like he’s still here, fighting for me to have the best future possible—and helping other kids have that same chance.

When my dad passed away this past September, my mom, sister, and I knew he would want to continue supporting children with PANS/PANDAS. In his honor, we chose to direct memorial donations to the Look. Foundation."

Shared by his daughter, Hannah Willey, age 15.

To read more about Rob’s life, view his obituary here: https://www.dockrayandthomasfuneralhome.com/obituary/Robert-Willey

05/31/2026

1 week to go until race day, and Jimmy is taking on the IRONMAN 70.3 Western Massachusetts to raise awareness and support for kids and young adults battling PANS/PANDAS. 🏃🧡

From the 1.2 mile swim to the 56 mile bike to the 13.1 mile run, every mile is fueled by purpose. Help Jimmy turn 70.3 miles into hope for families searching for answers.

Support his race and make an impact: Text JIMMY703 to 53-555 to donate.

https://givebutter.com/Jimmy703

05/30/2026

The Look. Foundation Provided PANS/PANDAS Training to Puzzle Pieces, LLC in Quincy 🧡

Look. Board Director Melissa Glynn-Hyman, LICSW, recently provided a PANS/PANDAS educational training to the team at Puzzle Pieces in Quincy, Massachusetts. Puzzle Pieces offers family-centered therapy and support for children and families, with a team that includes speech and language therapists, occupational therapists, licensed mental health clinicians, and other specialists.

We are so grateful for opportunities like this to share education with professionals who work directly with children and families. Their willingness to learn more about PANS/PANDAS helped strengthen awareness, recognition, and support for children who may be impacted.

05/30/2026

The Look. Walk - Making Strides for PANS & PANDAS postcards are officially hitting mailboxes!

Join us Saturday, October 3, 2026 in Boston Common or virtually from anywhere as we walk to raise awareness, hope, and funds for children and young adults battling PANS/PANDAS.

Be part of the Look. Walk. Be part of the movement. 🧡

Register/Sponsor Here: https://givebutter.com/lookwalk2026

05/28/2026

When a child’s behavior consistently feels out of character, it is important to look deeper.

PANS/PANDAS can cause changes in mood, behavior, and thinking after infection. Families may notice anxiety, OCD symptoms, irritability, tics, sleep disruption, cognitive changes, restrictive eating, or urinary symptoms such as new or recurring bedwetting.

These changes can feel unfamiliar, persistent, and unlike the child they once knew.
During Mental Health Awareness Month, we are encouraging greater awareness of the connection between physical health, neuroinflammation, and mental health symptoms.

Looking for root causes can lead to earlier recognition, support, and care.

05/28/2026

The Look. Foundation Provided PANS & PANDAS Training to Nurses at Boston Public Schools 🧡

Look. Executive Director Jennifer Vitelli, along with Board Director Sheilah Gauch, LICSW, M.Ed, joined Kathleen “Kate” Maher, MSN, RN, NCSN, to present a PANS & PANDAS educational training for Boston Public School nurses. This opportunity allowed Look. to reach 158 school nurses across the 119-school Boston Public Schools network with important information to better recognize and support students impacted by PANS & PANDAS.

We were incredibly grateful for the opportunity to share this education and for the nurses’ eagerness to learn how they could better support their students and families.

05/28/2026

Last week, the Look. Foundation had the privilege of participating in the 26th Annual Youth at Risk Conference at Endicott College.

The mission of the Youth at Risk Conference is to strengthen and support those dedicated to youth and families through accessible, high-quality continuing education and meaningful collaborative networking. It was an incredible day filled with connection, learning, and conversation.

Look. Foundation board members Melissa Glynn Hyman, LICSW, and Sheilah Gauch, M.Ed., LICSW, presented on what every mental health and educational professional should know about PANS/PANDAS. At the same time, board member Adam Noska helped represent Look. at our information table, speaking with attendees and sharing resources.

With more than 400 people in attendance, we were deeply encouraged by how many professionals stopped by, asked thoughtful questions, and showed a genuine desire to better understand PANS/PANDAS.

One message from keynote speaker Dr. John Gaines stayed with us: “What you are grateful for grows.”

And today, we are grateful.

Grateful for the mental health professionals, educators, and youth-serving providers who came to listen. Grateful for those who approached our table with curiosity and compassion. Grateful for opportunities like this to raise awareness, build understanding, and help more children and families feel seen.

Thank you to the Youth at Risk Conference for welcoming this important conversation.

05/23/2026

A negative Lyme test does not always rule out Lyme disease.

In this video from Johns Hopkins Medicine Rheumatology, experts discuss the limitations of current Lyme disease testing and why clinical symptoms and patient history matter. Many patients facing chronic or complex illness are dismissed after a negative test result, but the science is more nuanced than that.

We believe awareness, education, and early recognition are critical for patients and families navigating Lyme disease and infection-triggered conditions.

Watch the full video on the Limitations of Lyme Disease Antibody Tests at https://youtu.be/r56kk66LfRc?si=mImxwgHXTQf5Zdug

05/22/2026

OUTSTANDING NEWS!!!

The Look. Foundation is incredibly grateful to Senator Patrick O'Connor and the Massachusetts State Legislature for supporting the PANS/PANDAS community through this important FY27 budget investment.

For nearly a decade, Senator O’Connor has stood beside the PANS/PANDAS community, the Look. Foundation, and the families we serve, helping elevate awareness and advocacy for children and young adults affected by PANS/PANDAS across the Commonwealth. His steadfast leadership, compassion, and commitment have made him a true hero to so many families, and we are forever grateful for his partnership and belief in our mission.

We are also deeply thankful to the entire Massachusetts State Legislature for recognizing the urgent need for awareness, early identification, and support for children impacted by these often misunderstood neuroimmune conditions. Your support sends a powerful message to families across the Commonwealth that they are seen, heard, and not alone.

Together, we are going to change the course of mental health by ensuring no child or young adult with PANS/PANDAS is missed.

To Senator O’Connor and the entire Massachusetts Legislature: thank you for being champions for this community and heroes to so many families across Massachusetts 🧡

The Look. Foundation, based out of Scituate, seeks to communicate the importance of PANS and PANDAS screenings and ensures that this disease is no longer overlooked. Over the years, we have seen a rise in the occurrence of PANS/PANDAS on the South Shore and many families have shared their stories of hardship and watching their children suffer with the associated effects of these disorders.

Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections (PANDAS) and Pediatric Acute-Onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome (PANS) occur after an infection, most commonly a strep infection. Brain inflammation occurs when the body's immune system mistakenly attacks healthy brain cells, leading to autoimmune processes that affect central nervous system function. An affected child generally has a sudden, dramatic change in personality, displayed as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), anxiety, tics, or other abnormal movements, personality changes, decline in math and handwriting abilities, sensory sensitivities, restrictive eating, and more.

In the FY27 State Budget, I have been able to secure $25,000 for the LOOK. foundation in Amendment 1070 to raise awareness and support the treatment of PANS/PANDAS. Unfortunately, many children go untreated for these diseases, sometimes experiencing debilitating symptoms for years until finding the cause and visiting a PANDAS specialist. I am hopeful that this funding will aid in the hard work that LOOK. continues to do for young people throughout our community.