Iowa Family’s Transformational $5 Million Gift Accelerates TSC Research at Cincinnati Children’s

Thursday, August 06, 2026

Key Takeaways:

• The Clausen family's $5 million gift launches a critical multi-year tuberous sclerosis complex research initiative, allowing work to move forward immediately without delays or compromises.
• The gift is driven by the diagnosis of Kelsey and Aaron Clausen's daughter, Colette, a patient at Cincinnati Children's Tuberous Sclerosis Complex Clinic, and their desire to create a better future for her and other children living with the disease.
• The gift highlights the collaborative impact of families, clinicians, researchers and donors working together to drive innovation, create new treatment possibilities, and build a better future for children affected by tuberous sclerosis complex.

Cincinnati Children's announces a transformational $5 million gift from the Clausen family from Storm Lake, IA, supporting a critical tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) research initiative. The gift will help accelerate scientific discovery, advance new treatment possibilities, and strengthen the organization's leadership in TSC care and research

Tuberous sclerosis complex is a rare genetic condition that can affect multiple organs including the brain, heart, kidneys and skin, often requiring lifelong, coordinated care. Cincinnati Children's cares for the largest number of TSC patients in the nation, offering unique opportunities to advance research, accelerate clinical trials, and translate discoveries into meaningful treatments for patients.

For the Clausen family, the investment is deeply personal. Aaron and Kelsey Clausen's daughter, Colette, was diagnosed with TSC before she was born. And nine days after her birth, her parents brought her from Iowa to Cincinnati for specialty care through the Cincinnati Children's Tuberous Sclerosis Complex Clinic.

Cincinnati Children's has been a global leader in TSC research and care for more than a decade. Researchers at the health system helped lead the work that resulted in the first FDA-approved treatment for TSC, demonstrating how scientific discovery can directly improve lives.

The Clausen family's gift launches a multi-year research initiative to bring personalized medicine to children living with TSC. Their investment removes financial barriers that can slow progress and allows researchers to pursue promising discoveries without compromise, accelerating work that could otherwise take years to advance.

"This gift reflects the powerful partnership between families, clinicians and researchers," said Dr. Darcy Krueger, Director of the Tuberous Sclerosis Clinic at Cincinnati Children's. "We are deeply grateful to the Clausen family for their generosity and belief in what is possible."

For the Clausen family, the gift is an investment in both Colette's future and the future of countless children and families around the world.

"Colette's diagnosis opened our eyes to a condition we had never known existed and to the challenges so many families face every day," said Colette's grandparents Doug and Joanie Clausen. "We are honored to support research that offers hope. Our hope is that the discoveries made today will lead to a better tomorrow for generations to come."

The gift also highlights the powerful role philanthropy plays in advancing medicine. Private support from the Clausen family ensures that innovation in TSC care happens now, not years from now.

Their generosity serves as a powerful reminder that when families, clinicians, researchers and donors come together with a shared purpose, extraordinary progress is possible. Every breakthrough begins with people who believe in a better future. To support research and innovation, visit cincinnatichildrens.org/fueldiscovery.