When Jenny Zwick was diagnosed with lupus at age 16, her deepest worry was whether she could have children someday.

“I am one of 10 kids, and always wanted a large family,” says Jenny, noting the pregnancy risks of the chronic inflammatory disease.

In 2002, when she and her husband, Spencer, moved to Boston, Jenny found expert care in Peter Schur, MD, co-director of the Lupus Center at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and a 60-year veteran of the field. Since then, Schur has seen Jenny through four healthy births—three boys and a girl. He also helped her manage her symptoms while limiting her intake of Plaquenil, an anti-malaria drug used for lupus that can cause harsh side effects.

“Unfortunately, Plaquenil has been the only treatment available for lupus for decades,” Jenny says. “I’d like to see researchers develop a better solution.”

To accelerate the search for better treatment options, the Zwicks recently made a $125,000 gift to establish the Peter H. Schur, MD, Endowed Junior Faculty Award in Lupus Research—adding to their generous prior support of the hospital and volunteer leadership through Spencer’s role on BWH’s Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases Advisory Board.

“Lupus doesn’t get enough attention or funding,” Jenny explains. “Spencer and I are honored to help change that.”