John Kelsey, Mavis Kelsey, William Leary, and Albert Owers established the Kelsey and Leary Foundation (KRF), a 501(c)(3) non-profit. Its mission is to collaborate with other leading research, education and healthcare organizations locally and nationally to improve the health of our community and the quality of patient care, assist people in making more informed decisions about their health and lead healthier lives, and provide research and patient education opportunities. Initially, the KRF made grants to institutions and research programs in the Texas Medical Center, including funding for the first electron microscope used in clinical medicine at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and intra-aortic balloon pump for the Texas Heart Institute, among many others. Currently, the areas of focus for Kelsey Research Foundation include cancer care and cancer survivorship support, epilepsy, digestive diseases, and the use of fecal microbiota transplantation to restore the intestinal microbiota of people with conditions associated with a loss of gut diversity, or dysbiosis. KRF also conducts clinical and health outcomes research -investigator initiated as well as government and industry funded- in these key focus areas.
