Dear Friends and Family,
In 2020, our world flipped upside down when our 18 year old daughter Kate was diagnosed with primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), a rare, progressive liver disease that attacks the bile ducts and can lead to liver failure and increased risk of cancer. There are no treatments for PSC other than a liver transplant. And liver transplant, for those lucky enough to receive one, can come with many risks and complications.
Kate's resilience and optimism in the face of PSC and associated Crohn's disease have been nothing short of heroic. However, PSC has negative impacts on Kate's daily life. Kate suffers from pruritus, an intense type of itch that requires 3 medications to control. She also has severe fatigue, which makes it impossible to get through the day without napping.
It's likely Kate's quality of life will continue to worsen unless a treatment becomes available that can stop or slow her disease. This is why we're asking you to support our Move for PSC team, The Bile Duct Defenders, to reach our goal of raising $10,000 for PSC research by the end of June. Every dollar you give will go directly to research so we're asking you to give as generously as you can. We also hope you will seek matching funds from your employer if that's an option.
There's some very promising PSC research happening right now. Please help us fund some of that research so we can help Kate and others in our communities who are suffering with this serious disease.
With love and tremendous gratitude, Amy, Al and Kate 💕
Kate, age 23