Barrow Neurological Foundation Raises $50.1 Million in 2024 Fiscal Year

Barrow Neurological Foundation concluded its 2024 fiscal year (July 2023–June 2024), raising $51 million in gifts from generous donors. The Foundation received a significant lead gift of $25 million from an anonymous donor to begin planning, development, and recruitment for the Barrow Research Hub, a world-class facility dedicated to understanding how the brain functions as the mind. Here, specialists will explore the six cognitive disciplines that make us uniquely human: movement and perception, emotion, intelligence, memory, neural plasticity, and consciousness. Several other generous Foundation donors have also invested in the Barrow Research Hub.

The Women’s Board of Barrow Neurological Foundation raised an incredible $10.1 million through the 2024 Barrow Grand Ball. These funds supported research in critical areas such as stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, brain tumors, spinal disorders, diabetes, headache, and hearing health science, which was selected as the 2024 Special Project. The Foundation also raised over $3 million through its Neuro Night event, receiving tremendous support from award-winning actress and honorary Foundation Board member Sharon Stone.

Foundation donors funded several endowed chairs to help the Institute recruit and retain top research and clinical leadership. This included the Sam and Rita Garvin Chair for Aneurysm Research, the Nancy Hanley Eriksson Chair for Neuromodulation, the Moreno Family Chair for Alzheimer’s Research, and the David and Weezie Reese Chair for Neurodegeneration Research.

In addition, the Foundation received a $1 million federal grant from Arizona Senator Krysten Sinema to help establish the Barrow Neuro Analytics Center in Park Central. The Center aims to revolutionize neurological research by delving into critical areas such as environmental epidemiology, advanced neuroimaging, global health, neurological drug development, health equity, and data science.

“It is an honor to support Barrow’s physicians and scientists as they work to develop new treatments, conduct innovative research, and care for patients with debilitating neurological conditions. These remarkable fundraising efforts would not be possible without the vision of Barrow President and CEO Dr. Michael T. Lawton, leadership from our Board, and, of course, our incredibly generous donors. It is their passion and unwavering dedication to Barrow’s mission of saving lives that fuels our success.”

Katie Cobb, President of Barrow Neurological Foundation

In fiscal year 2024, the Foundation transferred $28.5 million to Barrow Neurological Institute to support community outreach, education, endowed chairs, and research. This includes 23 new projects that were selected through a competitive review process. Highlights from these projects include:

• Neuroimaging Innovation Center: A new MRI technique for more effective spinal cord imaging in patients, particularly veterans, with metal implants.
• Barrow Neuro Analytics Center: A study utilizing big data and geographical methods to understand glioblastoma risk.
• Alzheimer’s and Memory Disorders Program: A study profiling frontal cortex white matter astrocytes in contributing to the onset of Alzheimer’s disease.
• Ivy Brain Tumor Center: A novel liquid biopsy technique to obtain real-time insights into how a brain tumor responds to experimental treatment.
• Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center: A study analyzing the effects of deep brain stimulation (DBS) in preventing falls in Parkinson’s patients. 

“Barrow Neurological Institute has long been a leader in pioneering research and innovation to improve patient outcomes. We will continue that tradition with a new research facility dedicated to improving our understanding of how the brain functions as the mind, leading to novel solutions for patients debilitated by neurological conditions. We are fortunate to have a Foundation dedicated to helping us fund these scientific goals and a community that supports our work to transform the future of medicine.”

Michael T. Lawton, MD, President and CEO of Barrow Neurological Institute

After a remarkable 2024 fiscal year, the Foundation is looking toward another successful year as it commences work on the planning, development, and recruitment for a new state-of-the-art research facility. It also looks forward to the opening of the Ivy Brain Tumor Center headquarters and the continued expansion of the Franke Global Neuroscience Education Center.