CO-FOUNDER HEATHER MCCARTHY 

Heather McCarthy is an attorney from Northwest Indiana who holds advanced degrees in public administration and English lit. Prior to establishing a private law practice, she was an executive in the mental health industry. She served in the role of vice president at the administrative services organization for Regional Mental Health Center, the facility that treated her son, O’Shea.

After his death, Heather pursued a successful eight-year legal case alleging medical malpractice of the mental health treatment providers in the wrongful death of her son. She also testified at the 2015 FDA hearings that resulted in additional black box warnings for the antibiotic Levaquin and the acknowledgment of a disability, Fluoroquinolone Associated Disability, of which symptoms include cardiac issues, insomnia, restlessness, and psychosis.

CO-FOUNDER LEE FORD 

Lee Clancy Ford has a background in nursing with a specialization in pediatrics.  She was one of the first nurses in Canada to obtain a nurse practitioner certification in asthma and allergy management. She has worked in private practice, community care, and hospital settings. She also has extensive experience in coordinating and reviewing medical research. Lee is a proud mother of two children, Parker (born 2001) and Charlie (born 2003).

In 2016, her life was dramatically changed after her daughter, Charlie, suffered from a severe adverse drug reaction resulting in fluoroquinolone toxicity. Lee spent years researching, seeking treatments, and supporting her daughter.