Heather Thomson and Samantha Kellner

About Us

The Kellner Family Pediatric Liver Disease was founded 10 years ago, shortly after Raphael, the son of Samantha and Andrew Kellner, underwent a life-sustaining liver transplant. Ever mindful of the tragedy that they were fortunate to avoid and set on helping other families who were faced with the same trying circumstances, the Foundation was established.

The mission of the Foundation is to reduce the incidence of pediatric liver disease through research, awareness and education, provide resources to families who are affected by pediatric liver disease and to promote awareness of organ donation.

To date, with the help of past donations and the extraordinary generosity of our donors we have been able to make significant grants including:

Over the course of the past 10 years, the Foundation has made significant grants including:

  • Sponsoring liver transplants for 3 infants, Daniel, Zoe and Abner, as well as many other children who have sought out the Foundation for financial assistance. Without our funding and your continued support, these children would not have survived.
  • The funding of a Fellowship at the Yale/New Haven Medical Center – Liver Transplant Department for the care of patients, research and training
  • The American Liver Foundation – earmarked for pediatrics
  • The Organ Donor Network of New York – driving awareness and registration
  • The establishment of a research fund at the Yale School of Medicine for world-renowned surgeon, Dr. Sukru Emre, to further his mission