Say Aloha to our May Business of the Month!

Owner Bella Tukuafu Johnson

Utah Microloan Fund's May Business of the Month is none other than Kalo Clinical Research. A woman/minority-owned clinical research site local to the greater Salt Lake area. What makes them so special? We will let owner Bella Tukuafu Johnson tell you herself! Keep reading to learn more.

UMLF: Hi Bella! We’re excited to interview you as our Business of the Month. Tell us about yourself.
Bella: I am Bella Tukuafu Johnson, born and raised in a tiny town called Punalu’u on the island of Oahu in Hawaii.  I’m the 9th child of 14 siblings (5th daughter of 7), raised in the mountains without electricity until I was 12 years old, where at that point we built an electrical plant run by the river so we had electricity moving forward.  While we were poor in material things, we were extremely blessed in love and the abundance of goodness. I attended Kahuku High School where I built rich and lasting friends that continue today. 
 
I obtained a bachelor’s degree in international studies with an emphasis in Health at BYU Provo, and promptly secured employment at the University of Utah in the field of health research, focusing on cancer, pediatric and genetic research, inclusively providing me with over 14 years of research experience in health.
 
My joy and priority of life centers around my immediate family consisting of my loving and supportive husband Floyd Johnson, and our incredibly cool kids, Olysia, Kalea, Sam, Uati, Ka’eo and Eva Johnson. My life experience and rich heritage have created a drive in me to learn, grow and expand my horizons, including the opening and growth of Kalo Clinical Research (KCR).
 
UMLF:  For those who need the 411, tell us about Kalo and what you do?
Bella: For a medication to be approved for general use, it needs to be studied rigorously in a clinical trial to find out if it works, and if it is safe for use.  We work to ensure new treatments are safe and effective and answer other questions about how to treat and prevent diseases.  Today, people are living longer, healthier lives, due to medical advances driven by clinical research.  Since 1990, there has been a 60% reduction in deaths for children under 5.  Since 2000, 36 million lives have been saved by childhood vaccines in low- and middle-income countries.  The chances of surviving cancer for 5 years or more after diagnosis in the USA increased from 50% in 1970 to 67% in 2007.
 
Kalo Clinical Research (KCR) is a people-focused branch of science.  We offer superior on-site pharmaceutical clinical trials to patients with chronic medical conditions (like diabetes, heart disease, asthma, etc.), providing professional and positive experiences in research for those willing to volunteer and test the medication(s) for future patients.
 
UMLF: Obviously representation matters in clinical research but what may not be so obvious are the consequences when there is a lack of diversity in this area. Can you tell about some of those?
Bella: Until recently, researchers and clinicians assumed that what they learned about white male participants could be safely applied to anybody in medicine regardless of gender, race, ethnicity or other variables.  We now know that this is not true.  The same dose of medication does not affect a 350lb White male the same as it would a 120 lb Asian woman.  African Americans and Latinos (and other communities) make up over 35% of the US population, but account for less than 8% of participants in many clinical studies.  When it comes medical research, there is no standard or average human.  The FDA has approved drugs which were proven to be safe and effective for overwhelmingly white study participants, but then were proven later unsafe and/or ineffective for minority populations. 
 
Unfortunately, racial and ethnic minorities experience more preventable disease and poorer health outcomes (health disparities in conditions like asthma, heart disease and diabetes), yet they are often not included in and rarely receive the benefits of research studies as often as white people are. 
 
Humans are generally more alike than not, and we are genuinely grateful for the work and volunteers from the white community who have helped to shape medicine up to this point.  However, we must include other communities in research if we want to discover answers to the improvement of medicine for all.
 
UMLF: Are there certain studies you continually have participation in or does it change over the years?Bella: We do our best to find clinical trials that will be beneficial to the communities we serve, providing medications related to heart disease, diabetes and asthma, as well as other necessary indications.  The trials change over the years, and we will often taken on other indications, especially as we have interested physicians who want to work with us and provide trials specific to their fields, like gastroenterology, dermatology, etc.
 
UMLF: It seems like your work will have long-lasting effects on the medical industry and that you should be super proud of the contributions Kalo is and will continue to have. Do you ever stop take it all in?
Bella: We do feel very honored to be a part of the medical industry and know that what we have to contribute is very valuable.  Every so often we do look back on our progress, on our impact on the neighborhoods and people we serve, and feel fortunate to be in the roles that we are in.
 
Through clinical trials, patients are often given access to medical treatments that are not yet available to the public, with superior medical oversight.  Insurance is not required for participation, and medications are typically offered at no cost with additional payment stipends for the participants to help cover the time and effort required to participate in the studies, often between $500-$5,000/study depending on the complexity of involvement.  It is so satisfying when we can adequately educate and empower members of the community and people are able to take advantage of this resource not only for themselves but for those in the future.
 
Additionally, we work within the community to inform/educate people about the opportunities available for employment within clinical research.  Medicine is a field that many come to with the intent to alleviate people’s pain and suffering, and careers in healthcare offer high salaries and job safety.  However, not everyone can obtain the higher-level education required for most of these jobs.  We specifically reach out to those who are interested in health and science, but who (for whatever reason) haven’t had the chance to obtain higher education or degrees.  Many careers in clinical trials do not require advanced degrees, but study coordinators average $60,491 per year in salary.  We train and advance people from entry-level positions to polished medical professionals within the field.  We strive to create an inclusive environment that engages all our employees and provide them with the capacity to develop and grow, both professionally and personally. 
 
UMLF: Every business has its highs and lows. Can you tell us about a challenge you faced as an entrepreneur and how you overcame it?
Bella: I fell into the entrepreneur role by circumstance, and years ago would have never thought I’d be where I am now.  It was immediately apparent how much I didn’t know about running a company (despite my expertise in the healthcare/research field), and as soon as I had the opportunity, I hired a business coach to improve my leadership skills as well as the operations and systems of the company.  This has continued be one of the best investments I’ve made in myself and in the company. 

However, one of the main challenges that I continue to face is the financial viability and capacity to navigate the ebbs and flows of payments for work done from the pharmaceutical companies that we contract with.  Sometimes we go for months without getting paid due to a myriad of reasons, which means we must be self-sustaining until we finally see the accounts receivables come through.  I have often expressed how I feel we have the most incredible company, and we just need money.  LOL.  We have overcome this challenge by finding those willing to help us make it through until we are continuously cash-flow positive.
 
UMLF: How do you feel like the Utah Microloan Fund has helped your business?
Bella: Our funding from the Utah Microloan Fund came just in the nick of time, when payroll was due, and our existing funds had run out.  Miracles like this have contributed to our continued progress and ultimate success, and we are infinitely grateful for the resource and the timing of the approval and receipt of the Utah Microloan Fund who helped us when no one else would. 

Thank you Bella! Keep up the amazing work that you are doing! 

To stay in touch with Kalo visit: 

• ​On Facebook 
• Their website
• On Instagram

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