PKD Life - Summer 2020 - 3

THOUGHTS FROM ANDY

Here for Each Other
Max and
I share a
birthday.

As always, the PKD Foundation remains
committed to its mission.

a time when the PKD comA tmunity
is unable to gather in

person at local and national events
because of the COVID-19 pandemic,
it's been wonderful to see how supportive our community has been-
whether it's posting images on
social media of teal-colored "EndPKD" masks, encouraging others to
sign up for the ADPKD Registry, or
donating more than $15,000 to
the PKD Foundation on Giving
Tuesday Now in early May.
This issue of PKD Life magazine
highlights another type of support
that is extremely beneficial to people with PKD-the kind that comes
with sharing your home with one or
more pets. On page 16, you'll read
about three women with PKD who
say their lives are made infinitely
better every day by the presence
of their four-legged friends. It's
an article that certainly resonates

this summer, but we promise you
that next year's conference will be
worth waiting for. In the meantime, you can rest assured that the
work of the Foundation continues.
Even during these unprecedented
times, we've committed to putting
an extra $1.5 million toward PKD
research, because we see the importance of not taking our foot off the
gas as we continue to make strides
toward a cure for PKD.
If you have comments about
these articles or ideas about
topics we should cover in future
issues, please email us at
pkdlife@pkdcure.org. We look
forward to hearing from you.

Andy Betts
President and CEO, PKD Foundation

PKD

LIFE

with me and my family. Earlier
this year, we welcomed a therapy
dog, a goldendoodle named Max.
(Two of our three children have
special needs.)
Families are at the heart of
our cover story on page 18, about
assisted reproductive technology
advances that offer couples the
chance to give their children a
future that's free of PKD. The decision to undergo these procedures
is highly personal, and it's not the
right choice for every family. But
we believe it's important for
couples to know all of their options,
instead of being left in the dark
with incomplete information.
As you know, we made the difficult decision to postpone our PKD
Connect Conference (PKDCON)
until June 2021 because of the
COVID-19 pandemic. We're disappointed that we can't all be together

PKD FOUNDATION

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Andy Betts
CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER
Amanda Hanova, M.S.M.
CHIEF RESEARCH OFFICER
Chris Rusconi, Ph.D.
CHIEF ADVANCEMENT OFFICER
Chad Iseman, M.B.A.

BOARD CHAIR
Beverly Benson, Ph.D.
BOARD VICE-CHAIR
Klee Kleber, M.B.A.
TREASURER
Rob Roth, M.B.A.
SECRETARY
Paula Krumboltz Hutchinson
SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY
COMMITTEE CHAIR
Michal Mrug, M.D.

ISSUE CONTRIBUTORS
Josh Berka; Teri Browne, Ph.D.; Lisa Cormack; Katie
Cox; Rachel Full, M.S., C.G.C.; Megan Hamilton; Beth
Leabo; JD Macy; Rachael Majorowicz, R.D.; Stacey
McClain; Victoria Newman, R.D.; Mary Perry; Steve
Petersen, M.D.; Jennifer Shelton; Irene Souter, M.D.;
Terry Watnick, M.D.; Laurel K. Willig, M.D.
EXECUTIVE EDITOR
Lauren Winchester, M.A.O.L.; laurenw@pkdcure.org
CONTRIBUTING STAFF
Elise Hoover, M.P.H.; Nicole Harr

EDITORIAL, DESIGN &
PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT
MANAGING EDITOR
Donna Behen, donna.behen@manifest.com
ASSOCIATE CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Tami Rodgers
SENIOR ART DIRECTOR
Andrea Heser
VP, PRINT PRODUCTION
Laura Marlowe
PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY SPECIALIST
Marilyn Bain

This material is provided for your general information only. You should not use the information in this magazine as medical advice, but should always consult your physician or local treatment center before pursuing or deciding to forgo any course of treatment. PKD
Life is published quarterly by the PKD Foundation (PKDF), 1001 E. 101st Terrace, Suite 220, Kansas City, MO 64131. 800.753.2873, toll free 800.PKD.CURE. The opinions expressed are those of the authors alone and do not represent the opinions, policies, or position of
the PKD Foundation, the Board of Trustees, the Scientific Advisory Committee, or editorial staff.
©
Acceptance of advertising for products and services in PKD Life in no way constitutes endorsements by the PKD Foundation. 2020 Polycystic Kidney Disease Foundation.

R E A D T H E D I G I TA L I S S U E AT P K D C U R E .O R G / P K D L I F E

http://www.PKDCURE.ORG/PKDLIFE

PKD Life - Summer 2020

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