Dear John,

Forty years ago, Dr. E. Fuller Torrey did for my family what I know he has done for many families affected by severe mental illness (SMI). Simply put, he turned our lives around.

In the 1980s, Dr. Torrey invited me and my brother Malcolm to participate in a groundbreaking study he was conducting that looked at identical twins, where only one has schizophrenia. In our case, Malcolm was the one beset by this terrible disease that is hard to understand and impossible to cure. As anyone with lived experience will attest, the chaos and uncertainty can be overwhelming; watching our loved one struggle with their illness is heartbreaking; and often the most we hope for is that they stay out of jail and/or off the streets.

Before, during, and after the study, Dr. Torrey – this preeminent and esteemed researcher – showed my family generosity and warmth; he was the first person to reassure my mother that Malcolm’s illness was not her fault.

Most importantly, with his deep personal understanding and compassionate approach, Dr. Torrey gained Malcolm’s trust in a way we had never seen before. Malcolm came out of that experience with a renewed sense of confidence and purpose. And it was in the aftermath of meeting Dr. Torrey that Malcolm began his journey toward stability.

Malcolm has been living on his own for 20+ years. He's fully employed, beloved at his place of work, and a productive member of society. Our family credits Dr. Torrey with offering us our first glimmer of hope. We know that countless other families have benefitted from Dr. Torrey’s work – the study, and others like it, have added to our collective understanding of schizophrenia. But the work started by Dr. Torrey is far from done.

Today, the Torrey Action Fund plays a key role in advancing Treatment Advocacy Center’s mission to improve the lives of those affected by SMI through more and better research, treatment, and resources. In order to achieve these goals, TAC and families like mine rely on the generosity of supporters like you.

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Your donation to the Torrey Action Fund will ensure that the compassionate, pioneering spirit of Dr. Torrey continues to touch the lives of many more people like Malcolm and me.

It is with a profound sense of purpose that I ask you to donate to the Torrey Action Fund today and, with limitless gratitude, I thank you for supporting the vital work of TAC.

Sincerely,


Michael Lee

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