JDRF Champions Development of Artificial Pancreas

A resident of Cresskill, New Jersey, David Kushner serves as president of Paradigm Capital Group, a firm he co-founded in 1989. Paradigm works with a variety of commercial clients to supply bridge mortgage and other loans. David & Nanci Kushner’s philanthropy in his Cresskill community and beyond includes his long-standing support of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, which funds live-saving investigations into the causes and treatments of type 1 diabetes in children and adults.

In type 1 diabetes, the pancreas abruptly ceases to manufacture its own insulin, and patients become dependent on daily blood-sugar-level tests and injections or infusions. Management of the condition then becomes a daily battle.

Among the exciting and innovative projects funded by the JDRF is research into the creation of an artificial pancreas is. This work has yielded precursor systems that can monitor a patient’s blood glucose levels and respond by automatically suspending infusions of insulin as needed. 

The JDRF has continued to devote its efforts to expand this work into the development of sophisticated devices that can measure glucose levels and deliver a faster-acting form of insulin.

In 2016, the organization celebrated the Food and Drug Administration’s approval for the artificial pancreas marketed as the Medtronic MiniMed 670G. The device, which is the size of a cell phone, consists of a subdermal glucose meter, along with an insulin pump that is strapped to the patient’s body and is capable of delivering correct dosages using a catheter and patch.

JDRF’s One Walk Has Built a Nationwide Presence

Business executive and community philanthropist David Kushner of Cresskill, New Jersey, serves as president of commercial bridge loan company Paradigm Capital Group. In addition to bridge loans, the New York City-based firm focuses on real estate acquisitions. Away from the office, Cresskill's David and Nanci Kushner continue their support of nonprofit organizations such as the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) and other groups focused on health and wellness.

For more than four decades, the JDRF has worked to fund research into the causes, effective treatments, and potential cures for Type 1 (“juvenile” or “insulin-dependent”) diabetes. While medical research has shown that a cure may be many years away, the JDRF’s efforts have improved treatment modalities for people with the condition worldwide. The group maintains an ongoing commitment to funding developments in the prevention of the disease as well as its complications.

The JDRF’s annual One Walk brings together a community of committed individuals to raise monies to further the cause. With close to one million participants, the event draws greater support than any other of its kind in the world, fostering a strong sense of community among walkers and their sponsors and supporting volunteers.

Hundreds of local JDRF One Walk events take place every year. Interested potential walkers and other supporters can visit the JDRF website to learn more, or to register for an upcoming event.