The Agape Fund Donate
Friends and supporters at dinner tables in a backyard, beneath a banner for The Agape Fund

Family founded in 2021 · Manhattan Beach, California

Inspired by Love,Driven by Purpose

In honor of our brother Thomas, we fund medical research and care for people with Down syndrome and related neurological conditions.

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Thomas Byrne smiling, wearing glasses and a red checked shirt

Why we exist

It started with Thomas.

Thomas Byrne is our brother, and the heart of our family. He is kind and joyful, he loves animals, and he has a way of making everyone around him feel appreciated, often with nothing more than a hug.

Thomas has faced real medical challenges, and he has met them with strength and courage. Walking beside him, we have seen firsthand what helps families like ours, and what falls short: care that is scattered, research that moves slowly, and good programs that are hard to find and harder to keep.

In 2021, we started The Agape Fund to change that, for Thomas and for every family still searching for answers.

agape uh-GAH-pay

A profound, sacrificial love that transcends and persists regardless of circumstance. Thomas inspired our name.

Read Thomas’s story

Highlights

What your support makes possible

How we give

Every grant fits our CARE framework

Four pillars guide where every gift goes. Together, they spell CARE. Clinical and Research are our primary focus.

How CARE works
  1. PrimaryClinicalFellowships, residencies, and training grants that prepare the next generation of clinicians.
  2. Access to CareTherapy programs outside the hospital, and help for families to reach them.
  3. PrimaryResearchClinical trials, research studies, and new research opportunities that grow what we know.
  4. EducationInclusive schools and mentor programs that build friendship and independence.

Our partners

The changemakers we support

We back doctors, researchers, schools, and programs we believe in.

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Dr. Jonathan Santoro smiling in his lab at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles

Dr. Jonathan Santoro

Children’s Hospital Los Angeles

Pioneering research into Down Syndrome Regression Disorder (DSRD), and training the next generation of specialists.

Dr. Dan Gordon speaking in an exercise physiology lab

Dr. Dan Gordon

Anglia Ruskin University

Studying how exercise can improve thinking, health, and wellbeing for people with Down syndrome.

Brick school buildings and a curving path across the Loyola High School campus at dusk

Loyola High School

Los Angeles, California

Building an inclusive Options Program that pairs students with intellectual disabilities with peer mentors.

Our impact so far

  • 2021Family founded
  • $650K+Raised since 2021
  • 400+Individual & corporate partners

Thank you

Our 2026 sponsors

Past events

Fundraisers, races, and trail miles, all for Thomas. Choose an event to see its photos.