The Myocarditis Foundation is pleased to announce that they have named their 2015 research grant in memory of a little boy from Minnesota who died two years ago of myocarditis. The Quinn M. Kirsch Memorial Grant was awarded to Dr. Michael Bode of UNC/Chapel Hill, North Carolina who is conducting research under the mentorship of Dr. Nigel Mackman.
To raise the $35,000 to cover the cost of the grant, Quinn’s parents, siblings, friends and school held several fundraisers but the primary event was Quinn’s Cup to celebrate the life of this warm and much-loved child who collapsed suddenly in his home after an ordinary day of activities, and died later that day at the hospital.
The Medical Examiner’s diagnosis of myocarditis was shocking as Quinn did not exhibit any symptoms. Mr. and Mrs. Kirsch chose to memorialize Quinn by donating funds to the Myocarditis Foundation to support a research grant in the hopes that someday with scientific advancements, other families would not have to experience the pain of losing a child to this disease.
