The CURA team proudly supports polycystic kidney disease (PKD) advocate and patient Glenn Frommer in his 2022 RideForPKD! Glenn’s cross-country bike ride started outside of San Francisco, CA on May 1 and is set to complete in Cape Cod, MA this September. Glenn’s goal is to spread PKD awareness and raise donations to fund research for this genetic kidney disease that affects more than 600,000 Americans and 12.4 million people worldwide. He will be visiting colleges, universities, research labs, and hosting events along his journey.
Our partnership with Glenn began when he reached out to CURA to secure donations and support from influential members of the PKD community. The CURA Cares—our philanthropic arm—team activated to help Glenn raise as much donations as possible for this worthy cause. We identified Emily and Justin Strauss who lost their 39-day-old son Austin to PKD in 2021. The couple had also been looking for ways to get involved with the PKD community and help raise awareness of the condition.
After connecting the Strausses with the RideforPKD, a powerful partnership was formed! The Strausses joined Glenn at a University of Southern California research lab earlier this month to receive an update on cutting-edge research on PKD treatments conducted by Dr. Eun Ji Chung at the Chung Laboratory at USC. After the event, Emily—an established jewelry designer with a large social media following—posted about the visit on her Instagram account, promoting the RideForPKD to her nearly 170,000 followers!
The Strausses have pledged to dedicate a portion of sales from Emily’s jewelry collection to the RideForPKD, where all donations will go directly to the PKD Foundation. The Strausses also pledge to make a personal contribution. This connection brought an influential group of advocates together who can now make a larger impact than they’d be able to alone. One of the most fulfilling aspects of cultivating this relationship with the Strausses has been listening to their story and having the opportunity to be part of thoughtful conversations around kidney disease.
“CURA’s support for the Ride has been unparalleled. They continue to grow relationships, engage the media with our compelling mission, and connect us with new and seasoned influencers in the PKD space. We’re thankful to have them as part of the team,” said Glenn Frommer.
CURA will continue to support the Ride through its completion in September. We’re especially excited to provide event and advocacy support when Glenn visits Kansas City, home of the PKD Foundation’s headquarters, and Washington, DC.
Learn more about Glenn and the RideForPKD as well as Emily Strauss’s work with EF Collection.
