CortiCheck
Help Launch CortiCheck™: A Lifesaving Tool for Rare Disease Warriors
We’re confident in our incredible science team and fully believe in CortiCheck’s potential to become a reality.
While every innovation comes with some level of uncertainty, we’re moving forward with care, skill, and determination.
This project was born from the needs of our own rare disease community, and your support is helping us take a critical step toward a safer, more empowered future for thousands of patients.
Please note that contributions to this campaign are non-refundable, even if unexpected challenges prevent the monitor from being completed or sold.
CortiCheck™
Real-Time Cortisol Testing. In Your Hands.
No prescriptions. No waiting. No guesswork. CortiCheck is the first handheld cortisol monitor built by patients, for patients—designed to prevent adrenal crisis, support steroid tapering, and empower real-time decision-making.
Why CortiCheck?
Every year, thousands of people with adrenal insufficiency are hospitalized due to cortisol crashes.
And yet—there’s still no FDA-cleared at-home cortisol test.
CortiCheck changes that.
- Portable, user-friendly design
- Fingerstick blood test with smartphone integration
- OTC-accessible: No prescription required
- Designed for: Adrenal Insufficiency, Addison’s, Chronic Steroid Users, and more
Join the Movement
We’re in early development—and building it alongside the community.
Sign up below to get early access, behind-the-scenes updates, and pilot testing opportunities.
Or contact kirsten@united4rare.com
Donate Now
A Whirlwind Week: Harvard, Strategic Collaborations, and the Road Ahead
From Harvard to What’s Next: CortiCheck’s Path Forward
From Harvard’s Global Genes Symposium to new biosensor partnerships, CortiCheck™ is gaining momentum. Founder Kirsten Norgaard shares milestones, challenges, and how you can help move this life-saving device from concept to patients.
Learn more
FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is behind CortiCheck™?
CortiCheck™ was founded by Kirsten Norgaard, a rare disease advocate and mother to a son with adrenal insufficiency. With more than 17 years of experience supporting families, shaping policy, and working with global clinicians, she brings both professional expertise and personal dedication. The project is advanced under United4Rare LLC, with guidance from scientific advisors and external collaborators.
How far along is development?
CortiCheck™ is moving from concept into creation and validation. A strategic collaboration is underway with a pioneering medtech company working in stress and hormone monitoring. Their technology is already close to prototype stage, and preclinical testing is ongoing to measure sensitivity, reproducibility, and specificity. Human studies will follow as soon as protocols are finalized.
Will CortiCheck™ be tested globally?
Yes. We are preparing for a global clinical trial with partners across North America and Europe. International collaboration is a key part of ensuring access and diversity in the data we collect.
What is the regulatory pathway?
In the U.S., CortiCheck™ is expected to follow the FDA De Novo pathway for novel diagnostic devices. In Europe, approval will require compliance with the IVDR framework leading to CE-marking. We are currently working with governance and regulatory advisors to determine the best fit and ensure that CortiCheck™ advances under the most appropriate, patient-centered pathway.
How is CortiCheck™ funded?
So far, CortiCheck™ has been supported entirely through community crowdfunding. While these donations have kept momentum alive, they are not pre-orders and do not guarantee access to the device. As a thank you, donors will be prioritized for early access once CortiCheck™ is ready.
At the same time, we are actively building a more robust fundraising strategy with our proposed new collaborators. This includes pursuing capital investment, grants, and global partnerships to ensure CortiCheck™ has the resources it needs to move through validation and into patient hands.
Who are your collaborators?
Early feasibility work was supported by Dr. Xiaomin Fan and Mr. David Carpi, who remain advisors. Today, CortiCheck™ has a strategic collaboration underway with a medtech company in stress and hormone monitoring, bringing us closer to a functional device.
How do you ensure transparency and accountability?
Transparency is central to our work. We are committed to registering human studies on ClinicalTrials.gov and European registries once protocols are finalized. In the meantime, we rely on external advisors, scientific collaborators, and legal counsel to guide development and provide oversight. All patient stories, images, and videos are shared only with informed consent and used respectfully.
Our stories need to be told!
What would CortiCheck mean to you?
How could it change your life?
We're seeking testimonials and/or blogs for our innitiative.
Sharing our stories will help motivate investors and donors!
About The Founder
I’m Kirsten Norgaard, founder of CortiCheck™ and a long-time rare disease advocate, innovator, and health coach. For more than 17 years, I’ve worked on the frontlines of rare disease communities—supporting families, shaping policy, and partnering with clinicians and researchers to bring forward new solutions where none existed.
My son lives with adrenal insufficiency, a condition where timely cortisol monitoring can mean the difference between stability and a life-threatening emergency. That personal connection is why I’ve devoted my career to building the tools patients and caregivers truly need.
I’ve led legislative efforts, collaborated with global research teams, and helped design clinical trials—all while keeping the patient voice at the center. These experiences give me a unique ability to connect science, advocacy, and lived experience.
With CortiCheck™, I’m bringing that full background to one goal: to create the first real-time cortisol test. From concept to creation to validation, my mission is to ensure this technology reaches patients and families worldwide—quickly, safely, and with their needs guiding every step.
Contact Kirsten: kirsten@United4Rare.com
