Barrow Neurological Foundation concluded its 2022 fiscal year in June with a fundraising total of $42 million in gifts from donors.

This value, according to a press release, includes a record-breaking $10.4 million raised by the Women’s Board of Barrow Neurological Foundation through the 2022 Barrow Grand Ball, as well as $4.3 million raised by the foundation through its inaugural Neuro Night event, which featured as the honoree Sharon Stone, an actress, foundation board member and patient.

Bill and Carolyn Franke established a transformational $21 million endowment to fund international education and undergraduate research programs at Barrow. In recognition of their support, Barrow has named the Franke Global Neuroscience Education Center. Barrow also named the Lewis Headache Center in recognition of a substantial $3 million commitment from Jan and Tom Lewis.

Additionally, Ellen and Howard Katz generously endowed the chair in the Neuroimaging Innovation Center for $2 million in recognition of the critical importance of imaging to the diagnosis and treatment of neurological diseases.

The foundation distributed over $20 million to Barrow Neurological Institute to support its mission to save lives through innovative treatment, groundbreaking research and advanced medical education, a press release stated. This distribution includes over $3.5 million designated by donors for specific purposes, including the Lonnie and Muhammad Ali Legacy Care Program, Lewis Headache Center, Petznick Stroke Center, Domestic Violence Brain Injury Program, and Neuro-Rehabilitation Center.

Another $15.4 million in funding was directed to support research at the institute, including startup funds for new researchers and 23 potentially life-saving projects, which were selected through a competitive review process. Additionally, $1.5 million in endowments was distributed.

“Time and again, the innovative clinicians and scientists of Barrow Neurological Institute redefine what is possible in neuroscience so that our patients can benefit from leading-edge treatments and ultimately, lives saved,” Katie Cobb, president of Barrow Neurological Foundation, said in the release. “Our donors are the fuel for this success and have demonstrated their passion and commitment through good times and bad by donating the level of funding necessary for the physicians, researchers and staff at Barrow to deliver hope and effective results in patient care.”

The 23 research projects that received funding in the 2022 fiscal year addressed a broad range of neurological conditions. Among these groundbreaking projects were the following:

• Dr. Benjamin Hendricks focused on transitioning an already effective treatment for glioblastoma into an implantable device that enhances patient comfort, appeal of use and treatment effectiveness. It would also allow more patients to receive the treatment.
• Dr. Francisco Ponce studied the effectiveness of deep brain stimulation as a treatment for patients with tinnitus and Parkinson’s disease with memory loss.
• Sylvia Perez examined cognitive decline at the cellular and molecular level in those with Down syndrome, laying the foundation for a wide range of potential drug interventions for possible future translation to the general Alzheimer’s population.
• Dr. Jinglu Ai studied the efficacy of a specific protein in reducing the risk of aneurysm rupture and as a potential drug target in preventing aneurysm rupture.
• Dr. Andrew Ducruet conducted a study to determine if targeting a specific protein with a class of novel inhibitors will result in better outcomes for patients suffering from ischemic stroke.

“We at Barrow Neurological Institute are fortunate to have a foundation capable of not only keeping pace, but also leading us in the ability to fund our scientific goals,” Dr. Michael T. Lawton, president and CEO of Barrow Neurological Institute, said in the release. “But more importantly, this support reflects the community’s commitment to Barrow and the understanding that our work benefits this community and extends out to the entire world.”

The foundation is looking toward another successful year with the expansion of the Ivy Brain Tumor Center to a new five-story, 75,000-square-foot building that will represent the first and largest translational research center dedicated to brain tumor drug development in the world.

The foundation will also evolve the Franke Global Neuroscience Education Center and will work with the new chair of neurology at Barrow, Dr. Brad A. Racette, to help build his vision for world-class research and clinical programs in clinical neuroscience health equity, global health and data science in the Department of Neurology.