About Us

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In Jerzy's early years, he studied High Tech Electronics in Rzeszów, Poland and graduated in 1984. He enrolled in the NCO air force school in Grudziadz supervising flight safety, graduating two years later. With previous medical education from 1998-2000, he attended the Marco Polo School in Chicago to become state licensed in bodywork. He went on to expand his education to sport and medical therapy and more. In the early 2000's, he created distribution channels in the U.S. and EU for medical and cosmetic devices. In the last 25 years, Jerzy and his wife purchased dental and medical buildings which he managed while still practicing his work on patients. In 2015, after multiple episodes of Fluoroquinolone damage resulting in a cascade of severe health, he was forced to quit his job and sell many of his clinics.  Jerzy started independent research on Fluoroquinolone toxicity and established the non-profit, Fluoroquinolone Toxicity Study, with Jane Crosby.  Engaging with scientists at home and abroad, they analyzed thousands of science publications on quinolones.  Seeing the dire need for research, the Foundation organized the first known individual in vitro tests for genomic and mitochondrial Fluoroquinolone DNA adducts and in vivo study of over 50 Fluoroquinolone damaged and disabled participants.  Jerzy believes our continued studies will lead to answers and that more doctors will understand the toxicity danger.    

Damaged by Levaquin in 2009, Jane became a member of the Fluoroquinolone Toxicity Group in Facebook and in 2013 joined the team of administrators in several online support groups for Fluoroquinolone victims.  She has dedicated the last seven years continuing to help administrate these groups, faithfully remaining in touch with the communities’ needs.  She developed a friendship with Dr. Jay Cohen, author of the book How We Can Halt the Cipro and Levaquin Catastrophe; The Worst Medication Disaster in U.S. History.  Dr. Cohen published his book in time for a public hearing between the FDA and a group of severely damaged Fluoroquinolone victims and commissioned Jane to deliver a signed copy to the head of a FDA advisory panel.  In 2015 she co-founded Fluoroquinolone Toxicity Study with Jerzy Tyszkowski.  In addition to arranging study parameters and participant selection for the Foundation's studies, Jane’s hope is to find effective treatments for patient recovery and advocate for justice on behalf of those whose livelihoods and health have been lost due to the adverse events of Fluoroquinolone toxicity.

Sarah graduated from the University of Minnesota in 1989.  She found herself facing a  significant setback in 2013 when she was affected by Fluoroquinolones  for the third time in her life. The severity of the condition compelled  her to permanently withdraw from the workforce, redirecting her focus  towards her health.  Her motivation to join the Foundation in 2018 stemmed from her desire to channel  her energy towards a purposeful endeavor that could generate positive  outcomes.   With a professional background  in tech start-up operations and commercial real estate portfolio  management, Sarah brings valuable organizational and operational skills  to the Foundation.  She is responsible for managing the organization’s  website, online media platforms, creation of new materials, written  communications, and collaborating with various stakeholders and  governmental bodies at both national and international levels.  Additionally, Sarah plays a key role with research study initiatives at various  project stages.   She now channels her unwavering dedication and determination into the Foundation's ongoing mission to improve the lives of those living with and navigating a similar journey of antibiotic adverse effects. 

Dr. Gustavson graduated with a Doctor of Medicine from the University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, in 1992. After a past immersed in various biological research projects and responsibility for several federal grant projects, he commenced his residency in Psychiatry at Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center and then general neurology with subspecialty and research fellowship at the UCLA School of Medicine. He is the recipient of numerous academic awards, including the John Douglas French Alzheimer’s Foundation Research Fellowship Award and named Diana Streisand Kind Fellow in August, 2003. With numerous publications on his research in scientific and academic journals, Dr. Gustavson has also extensively lectured to academic, clinical and educational institutions spanning the last 30 years. Currently, he is in private practice as a Behavioral Neurologist. Experiencing the toxic effects of Fluoroquinolones himself, Dr. Gustavson joined the Foundation to advise on clinical and scientific projects identifying effects and mechanism of injury related to this class of antibiotics.

As a graduate from UAMS College of Medicine in 2009, Dr. Beard did her residency in Family Medicine and chose to work in the ER treating patients for urgent and emergent conditions. She started her own primary care concierge practice in 2013 which morphed into a functional medicine practice treating diverse cases. In 2016 she also took on the position as Medical Director of Cardiac Rehab at the Arkansas Heart Hospital and obtained her Functional Medicine Certification in 2017. Dr. Beard continues to practice functional medicine at her clinic, helping patients to unlock their health potential. Due to the lack of Fluoroquinolone awareness, her hope is to see more shared education between the floxed and medical communities and a reduction of misinformation about these and other drugs that have the potential to cause significant harm.

In 2019, Marco experienced a severe reaction to multiple courses of ciprofloxacin while pursuing his medical degree at the University of Zurich, Switzerland. This ordeal forced him to make significant adjustments to both his personal and professional life. After a partial recovery, he approached his university education with newfound determination – his purpose now was to educate as many healthcare professionals as possible about the dangers of fluoroquinolone toxicity.  Marco successfully completed his medical studies and graduated from the University of Zurich in 2024. Throughout his academic journey, he worked on a publication about fluoroquinolone-induced small fiber neuropathy and collaborated in ongoing research with Dr. Stefan Pieper, the author of "Fluoroquinolone-Associated Disability (FQAD): Pathogenesis, Diagnostics, Therapy, and Diagnostic Criteria." As a newly graduated physician, Marco continues to be an active member of FQAD Support, an organization dedicated to aiding individuals experiencing systemic adverse effects from fluoroquinolone antibiotics. He remains committed to raising awareness about fluoroquinolone toxicity among healthcare professionals and improving patient care in this area.

Contact: marco.karrer@hin.ch