Our Story

What began with a book about helping young professionals navigate the ‘corporate jungle’ has evolved into a community coming together to support one another and create positive change for our environment and those affected by the autoimmune disease Lupus.

 

Drawing on 30 years of experience carving out his path in the corporate jungle, author Chuck Saia wrote YOU GOT THIS, KID! Words of Advice for Young leaders to share his experiences and learnings with young professionals looking to develop the skills needed to build self-confidence, navigate uncertainty and achieve their greatest goals.

 

Chuck’s passion for mentoring young professionals shines through in his speaking engagements, but it’s his compassion for family, friends, colleagues and every person he connects with that has inspired our foundation’s board to mobilize our mission of inspiring action to reduce toxins in our environment that have a particularly adverse effect on those with autoimmune diseases.

 

The Saia family has closely witnessed the trials and tribulations the autoimmune disease Lupus can place on a family. Chuck, Allison and their two sons, Ethan and Matthew, have supported Allison’s sister Amy Szoke and her family, through two lupus induced strokes, daily joint pain and fatigue as well as a recent diagnosis of Lupus Nephritis.

 

The Saia and Szoke families are just two of the thousands of families and millions of people impacted by Lupus in the United States alone. There’s not a cure nor even a trivial understanding of the root cause.

 

The latest research studies, however, are discovering more about how our environment plays a role in our health. Environmental toxins’ effect on Lupus activity is part of the 2021 Pre-Matriculation program at Quinnipiac University where Professor and YGTK Board member Courtney McGinnis. will be teaching pre-med students about the connectivity. The students will also hear from other board members Amy Szoke and Karin Wagner in a fireside chat discussing the patient provider relationship and their personal journeys with Lupus.

 

Our foundation’s influence has only just begun, and we welcome you to join us in our journey to drive positive change for young professionals, those affected by Lupus and all of our local communities to make for a brighter tomorrow.

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