The KLD Foundation is committed to funding Alzheimer's research, care, and awareness. We hope to make Alzheimer's a disease of the past - a memory!
133 N 4th Street, Suite 211
Lafayette, IN
47901
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In 2009, the wife, mother, sister, and sister-in-law of some of our board members, Karen Lee Dubea (KLD) began noticing that things were not quite right. It was becoming difficult to learn new things at work, and to a lesser extent, do the things she had been doing for years. The tipping point occurred when Karen went to the gym in downtown Lafayette, as was her routine, and after parking in the garage was unable to find the door to the gym. Shortly thereafter, a 2 year process of doctor visits began. A diagnosis was delayed due to one of the doctors ordering a psychological examination, which is standard protocol. To Karen, this didn’t seem necessary (“I’m not crazy, just forgetful”) and she put it off until early 2011. Results of their tests indicated significant impairment and a neurologist began performing tests. After much blood work, Cat scans, PET scan, a lumbar puncture for genetic testing, and mental status testing, a diagnosis was given in November 2011. Just a few days before Thanksgiving, Karen and her family received the news: at the age of 48, she had early onset Alzheimer’s. Needless to say, Karen, her family and friends were shocked. In some ways, that is when this foundation unofficially began. In the years since, Karen’s friends and family have raised money all across the country to battle this horrible disease through Alzheimer’s Association walks, bake sales, gun raffle, and restaurant percent of sales events. These are all worthy causes that we will continue to support. We found in 2012, while trying to organize a golf fundraiser, that it can be difficult to raise funds for the Alzheimer’s Association if the event isn’t an Alzheimer’s Association event. The Alzheimer’s Association is very protective of their name and reputation, and rightfully so. The golf event was shelved and we continued to raise funds through various Alzheimer's Association events. But the need and want to do more remained. On October 1, 2016, Karen and her husband, Lance, were attending the Lafayette, IN Walk to End Alzheimer’s with friends and family from all over the country. In conversations among family members, it was decided that more could be done on that day than just the walk. A dinner was planned and as the dreams for the event grew, it was obvious that the time to start a charitable foundation was now. The KLD Foundation was born. The KLD Foundation was incorporated in the state of Indiana as a Non-Profit Domestic Corporation on April 4, 2016. The KLD Foundation has been granted 501(c)3 non-profit charitable organization status by the Internal Revenue Service.
The KLD Foundation’s mission is simple, we want to Make Alzheimer’s a Memory. We live for a day where there will be a known cause, treatment and cure for Alzheimer’s and we believe that day is coming....and coming soon. It is with that hope that we have been able to raise over $175,000 since in 4 years to fund research for that treatment and cure and to also support those that are currently living with Alzheimer’s.
To find out more about the KLD Foundation, who we support through YOUR giving and to find out more about how to help, visit us at www.kldfoundation.org.
