PLEASE READ THIS- **Le Bonheur receives grant to research PSC**

[Guest guest]

I’m e-mailing the whole article here. Didn’t want to

risk a messed up link.

PSC-Partners made the big time, a business journal

article. Thank you Ricky,

& Lee! Group…what are you waiting for? Send in your check, donate any amount,

let’s make this the best year ever for PSC-Partners

and move this valuable work forward.

BIT

Le

Bonheur receives grant to research rare liver disease

Memphis

Business Journal - 10:44 AM CST

Monday

A

Colorado non-profit

has given $20,000 to a Memphis

foundation to advance an effort to develop a registry of people with a rare,

incurable liver disease.

The

disease is Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis (PSC), a disease of the bile ducts in

the liver, in which they become inflamed and build up scar tissue; most

patients require a liver transplant. PSC appears to

involve a mutation of the same gene that causes cystic fibrosis.

The gift

came from PSC

Partners Seeking a Cure, an 8-year-old organization based in the Denver

suburb of Englewood. The money went to the Musette and Jr.

Foundation for the Study of PSC, based at Le

Bonheur Children's Medical Center.

The

Foundation was created in 2004 by Jr., chairman of -Keegan & Co., and his

wife, after their son took ill with PSC. Since then,

they have helped fund the foundation of research looking for treatments and a

cure for the condition.

A

registry of patients is considered essential to the long-term goals. It tracks patients' disease and treatment, providing

baseline data for research. The registry is also part

of the effort to improve outreach and support for patients and family members.

Le

Bonheur is one of 12 major North American medical centers encompassing 18

pediatric and adult hepatology programs participating in the registry.

" We

are delighted that we have been able to forge a strong collaborative

relationship with PSC Partners Seeking a Cure, " said pediatric

nephrologist Dennis Black in a statement. " Our

organizations have a common goal to find a cure for this devastating

disease. "

Black is

co-director of the Foundation, and also Le Bonheur vice president for

research and director of the Children's

Foundation Research Center. Black was part of the

initial team that treated the child, and has received clinical research

funding from the Foundation.