We CAN Cure This Life-Threatening Disease!
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Let’s Make a Bioartificial Adrenal Gland a Reality
In Kay Q’s Memory Help Us Cure Adrenal Disease
Kay Quinlivan was many things – a wife, a mother of 6, a grandmother of 17, a nurse for 45 years, first in the ER and then as a Nursing Instructor. Through it all she was a fighter for those who couldn’t fight for themselves, a passionate advocate and leader who helped people achieve things they never thought possible.
Kay married the love of her life “Barney” 66 years ago after he returned from serving his country as a Korean veteran, awarded the Bronze Medal twice. Kay passed away on February 24, 2023 with Barney at her side. Her enduring hope and final wish was to continue advancing the promising research already underway to find a cure for Adrenal Disease, a cause near and dear to Kay's heart. While time has run out for Kay, the challenge she set before us remains: harnessing her fearlessness, determination, and no excuses mentality to help cure Adrenal Disease.
What is Adrenal Disease?
- Adrenal Disease is a lifelong, life-threatening condition in which the adrenal gland, an organ located above the kidney, does not produce the life-sustaining stress hormone cortisol, necessary to mount a normal response to physical illness or injury.
- When ill or injured, without prompt medical intervention the result can be fatal as the body goes into shock.
- Adrenal Disease can have many causes including autoimmune (Addison’s Disease) and genetic factors (such as with Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia - CAH).
Why Now?
- Kay’s family has been very active and successful in funding research that has helped advance the promising work needed to achieve this goal.
- In the last 18 months, distinct scientific breakthroughs were made possible by her family’s direct efforts of financial support including the ability to utilize stem cell technology to generate and replicate specific adrenal steroid-producing cells on a large scale.
- Very exciting advances with pancreatic cells to treat Type 1 Diabetes are in human clinical trials now that have the potential to accelerate the work being done with adrenal cells.
We need your help to turn these medical breakthroughs into a cure for Adrenal Disease.
** Imagine the Unimaginable **
- A doctor implants an encapsulated device in the Adrenal Disease patient’s body.
- The container is populated with cells, derived from stem cells or other cell sources, that produce cortisol.
- The bioartificial gland responds to the body’s natural internal signals and produces cortisol in the required amounts and at the precise time and moments needed.
- The patient no longer suffers from the effects of Adrenal Disease!
Vast Implications Beyond Adrenal Disease
Taking Advantage of the Path Being Forged by Diabetes Research
- A version of this concept is already in human clinical trials in the US with insulin-producing cells derived from stem cells for the treatment of Diabetes.
- Once proven and working with insulin-producing cells, this platform could potentially be populated with other hormone-producing cells, such as adrenal-like steroid-producing cells.
- Implanted in a Diabetic, the cells respond to the body’s internal signals and produce insulin in the required amounts and at the precise moments needed.
- The patient no longer suffers from the effects of Type 1 Diabetes!
What Needs to Be Done – How Will My Donation Be Used?
- Continue the refinement of stem cell therapy breakthroughs.
- Advance and complete the work on an encapsulated device/bioartificial gland already underway.
- Marry the two above technologies to make an implantable, hormone-producing bioartificial gland.
- The donations raised will be invested to go to furthering the mission of curing Adrenal Disease through research and turning that research into reality for patients.
- We pledge to keep an open line of communication with Adrenal Disease Support Groups, Researchers, Doctors, Patients and Family Members.
Kay Q never gave up on anyone, especially at the lowest moments of their lives. When all were gone, she stood strong, took action, often at a personal cost, and never left those in need. Let’s make sure her spirit lives on!
How Can You Help?
Donate
- Every dollar helps.
Spread the word
- No money or time? That's okay. Can you spread the word?
- Share this Go Fund Me Link Kay-Q-Fund on social media with the hashtags #KayQfund #CureAdrenalDisease
- Share this page.
- Put us in touch with any media contacts you might have.
- Share our posts.
- Tell your friends.
Research & Treatment
- Are you a doctor or researcher interested in this solution?
- Are you working on something potentially applicable?
- We would welcome an opportunity to meet with you.
**For those partners and friends in our fight to Cure Adrenal Disease who would like to support our efforts on a larger scale, be it individually or through corporate contributions, we have established a Donor Advised Fund, known as the "Quinlivan Family Foundation" sponsored and maintained by the National Philanthropic Trust to further this cause. The National Philanthropic Trust is a public charity and all contributions to the Foundation are tax-deductible for U.S. taxpayers and will go directly to support Kay Q’s fight. To donate directly to The Quinlivan Family Foundation Donor Advised Fund by credit card click on this link Kay-Q-Fund Quinlivan Family Foundation.
If you would like to donate by check, please make the check out to:
National Philanthropic Trust, and in the memo include: Quinlivan Family Foundation
Mail Check To:
National Philanthropic Trust
165 Township Line Road, Suite 1200
Jenkintown, PA 19046
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Organizer
Quinlivan Family Foundation
Organizer
Shrewsbury, MA