The Legacy Brain Foundation

May is Brain Tumor Awareness Month. I am writing today to help bring awareness to the Legacy Brain Foundation founded by Dr Virginia Stark-Vance, an oncologist at Medical City Dallas Hospital.

"The Legacy Brain Foundation was founded by brain tumor patients, their family members, and their physicians. We saw a need in North Texas for an organization dedicated to raising awareness of brain and spinal cord (neurological) tumors, as well as how the diagnosis of one of these tumors affects the patient and their family. Several female patients noted the success of breast cancer organizations in raising awareness, supporting research, and pursuing a cure for breast cancer. The Ladies of Legacy organization was formed to fill the need that these women saw to aggressively pursue those same goals as they related to neurological tumors. While many of the initial programs and events targeted female patients, the board voted to enlarge the scope of the organization in 2007 to reach out to all brain and spinal cord tumor patients in North Texas.This led to the official formation of the Legacy Brain Foundation. While less common than breast cancer, so much so that they have gained designation as "orphan diseases", neurological tumors typically have a more devastating impact on the patient and their family. Some patients have significant neurological impairment, may require weeks or months of therapy, or may never be able to return to work due to the effects of the tumor or the treatments.  The implications of a diagnosis extend to caregivers, families, and friends as well and often have a much more profound effect on those individuals.Even with the encouraging medical advances of the last few years, patients diagnosed with a neurological tumor face an uncertain future."

MISSION

​OUR MISSION IS TO SUPPORT PATIENTS WITH BRAIN OR SPINAL CORD TUMORS IN THEIR COMMUNITIES THROUGH PUBLIC AWARENESS, EDUCATION, GRANTS AND SERVICES; CREATING A BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE FOR PATIENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES.

VISION

OUR VISION IS TO CREATE A LEGACY OF LOVE THAT WILL LEAD TO A BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE FOR PATIENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES NOW AND IN THE FUTURE. WE BELIEVE OUR FOUNDATION WILL RAISE PUBLIC AWARENESS OF BRAIN AND SPINAL CORD TUMORS IN OUR COMMUNITY. IT IS OUR HOPE THAT THIS COMMUNITY OF MEN, WOMEN, THEIR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES WILL REACH OUT ACROSS OUR NATION, SHARING THE LBF STORY TO ENABLE US TO TOUCH MORE AND MORE LIVES AFFECTED BY BRAIN TUMORS AND SPINAL CORD TUMORS.

Unfortunately, the most common brain tumors are malignant. Please consider supporting the Legacy Brain Foundation or similar organizations in a concerted effort to bring aid and comfort to patients and their caregivers, as well as fund research toward better treatment options and improved preventative and diagnostic techniques.

The LBF logo was created by my brother Todd

 

May is Brain Tumor Awareness Month

The Todd Tree is Thriving

February 16th would have been my middle brother Todd's 52d birthday. To commemorate his birthday and celebrate his life, I planted an acorn from a Seeds of Life kit. The kit was provided with great compassion by my colleagues at Armed Forces Services Corporation (AFSC).

On Easter, I published a photo of the first glimpse of the seedling poking up through the soil and moss. The accompanying text featured a timely quote from Mark Nepo's Book of Awakening.

Ninety days after Todd's birthday, in the middle of Brain Tumor Awareness Month, I took the above photo. This shows that--since first peeking above the ground on Easter--Todd's tree is thriving. The framed photo of Todd is his memorial brochure. He seems to appreciate his seedling's progress.

I do not understand cancer. I cannot bring my brother back. The mysteries of life and death are beyond my comprehension. I cannot explain why the spark of life left my brother in the middle of his extraordinary life. I do not understand how the spark of life was ignited in that little acorn, the seed from a far away red oak tree.

Like the acorn, I am planted in dark despair and buried in cold uncertainty. In the midst of eternal emptiness, some mysterious spark speaks to me. Do the best I can with what I have where I am.

I can:

• honor my brother's memory. 
• nurture the seedling that is now a living memorial, and someday plant it in the forest near my home. 
• surrender my ego-driven desire to know and understand, and accept some things on faith. The seed cracks open without understanding why.
• show compassion to others in the fight--patients, caregivers, and family
• trust science and support those working to find a cure. 

May is Brain Tumor Awareness Month. You can join the fight to find a cure for brain tumors:

• promote awareness about brain tumors; 
• help fund brain tumor research; and 
• reach out to patients and caregivers who are in the fight.