A portion of the proceeds from Regan’s speaking goes to the Lupus Research Foundation (LRF). The LRF was founded by Regan and her husband, Todd, after Regan was diagnosed with systemic lupus.

Her specific lupus diagnosis is WHO Class IV diffuse proliferative glomerulonephritis—kidney lupus.

Her treatment consisted of a two-and-a-half year regimen of cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan), a breast cancer chemotherapy. Cytoxan was used to reduce the overactive nature of her immune system.

There were times when she wanted to quit the treatments. But she had to stay on them to achieve long-lasting remission.

She was technically put into remission after starting her treatment.

But during this time Regan continued to struggle with clinical symptoms including severe pain, fatigue, and, (looking back), depression. Her joint pain sometimes prevented her from walking even short distances and she had no stamina. She needed a cane to get up the stairs. Her fatigue level was such that walking was a challenge — she had to stop and take a break after taking only a few steps. Holding conversations was difficult. She struggled with weight gain due to prednisone and inactivity.

After getting fed up with needing the cane, Regan decided she had to make a change. She changed her diet which got her energy levels up again. Then she really ramped up her life and got rid of her pain once she started exercising. Now she enjoys a life of freedom and happiness.

Todd and Regan put their heads together and combined their shared passion for the Olympic ice sport of curling. They created a curling Professional-Amateur tournament called “The Lupus Spiel”. It was instantly a hit! It quickly became the largest Pro-Am for curling in the world. From the success of the Lupus Spiel, the LRF was born.

Creating a foundation allowed Regan and Todd, with a board of directors and advisory board, to be able to designate funds towards research. The LRF’s primarily funded researcher, Dr. Timothy Niewold, has done incredible things for the lupus community. Dr. Niewold has helped develop anifrolumab, and is currently working on getting to market the first reliable diagnostic tool for lupus, one that can predict a person’s susceptibility of developing lupus. It is going to be a game-changer. It will save lives. Dr. Niewold is the Vice Chair for Research at the Hospital for Special Surgery.

The Lupus Research Foundation is a tax-exempt, charitable organization with Federal EIN 81-5446248.

More information can be found here:  www.letscurelupus.org.

“If you know someone with lupus, or who struggles with any challenge, please share this story with others, and share your own story. You will inspire people around you and motivate them to have hope. This will create a ripple effect of goodness. Together we will all lead better lives — the lives we were meant to live, that we create for ourselves.”

~ Regan