Tag Archives: Yale – New Haven Hospital

A Hero Lies In You!

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“You have a brain tumor.”  These were the words uttered to me that have changed my life ten years ago.  When I first heard them, I knew what it meant, but I never could have prepared myself for what my life has now become.  It is the reason my family and I began this fund and why I took on a bigger role with the CT Brain Tumor Alliance.  This weekend is the midway point – Brainstormin‘ last weekend and the Path of Hope next.

As I sit here and write this, thinking back on the night last Friday, the best way I can personally describe the night was joyous.  In my humble opinion, I think the author of this email described it perfectly: “Last night was supremely fabulous!  I found myself feeling overwhelmed with such palpable love that I am sure you felt as well.  I certainly hope so because there really aren’t adequate words to describe it.  The people around me repeatedly shared the same sentiment, so I don’t think it was just me and you.”

Photos by Abigail Scott Photography 

As I stood at the front of the room, looking out to a room full of family, friends, doctors and nurses and fellow brain tumor warriors was extremely overwhelming.  Yet, because of you, this is possible!  To our presenting sponsors, Carla’s Pasta and Specialty Packaging – words are inadequate to truly let you know how I feel.  Each year, you go above and beyond what you commit to and your help in growing this fundraiser is beyond appreciated.   You made the night possible and instilled hope for continued findings.   The Carla’s Pasta food truck – great addition this year and amazing!  Thank you Heat for providing great entertainment all night long!  Thank you Renee DiNino for your eagerness to serve as emcee, you were great as always!  And to Ann Nyberg, it is always great to see you; your time and desire to be a part of this night is so greatly appreciated!  To the rest of our sponsors: ShelfSpace Marketing, Strategic Information Group, Beirne Wealth Consulting, Connecticut Public Broadcasting, Edge Technology Services, People’s United Bank, Stop & Shop, BMO Harris Bank, Sullivan & LeShane, Unitas Club, Blum Shapiro, Guida’s Milk & Ice Cream, Karmory, Webster Bank, Russo, Russo & Slania, Updike, Kelly & Spellacy, Thrive Therapy Services, Al Mac Motors, iHeart Media and WTNH – THANK YOU ALL!  To our vendors, Shoreline Cafe & Catering, Beach Donuts and Libby’s Italian Pasty Shop, thank you all.  And last but not least, to our host, Stony Creek Brewery, thank you for making the night  special and building this partnership with us.  I look forward to continuing to build upon what we have started and moving forward with our beer, which everyone loved!

So while donations continue to be made and Stony Creek Brewery has one last Charity Wednesday on September 26th, we won’t know the exact dollar figure raised for Yale quite yet, but I can assure you that you should feel proud.

The pinnacle moment of the night was when I got to share that the team at Yale is moving forward with its research project on central neurocytoma.  In a previous blog, I told you that the doctors and researchers have collected a cohort of samples and are ready for the second phase of the study, to further understand the molecular processes driving the formation of these tumors.  With the support you have provided, Yale is completing an application for funding from the National Institutes of Health on central neurocytoma in early October.  We are that much closer and it is a joint effort, one for which I am forever grateful.

So to everyone who donated and joined us, thank you again, you’re all heroes!  I look forward to sharing the grand total and additional updates with you soon.

Now, I’ll get back to final preparations for the CTBTA’s 5K next Saturday’s.  For information, visit https://www.ctbta.org/events/path-hope/event-info/.

We’re All In This Together

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Ahhh, September is finally here!  And that means Brainstormin‘ is literally just around the corner.  My family, friends and I are hard at work, getting last minute details squared away and ensuring that Friday night will be one to remember.  To those who have their tickets, I look forward to seeing you there.  For everyone else, you can purchase them at the door!

I’ve been posting a lot on social media and sending emails blasts with the various updates, but here’s everything you need to know:

Friday, September 14th at 6:30 at Stony Creek Brewery.  We have sponsors; we have iHeart Radio’s Renee DiNino as emcee and Ann Nyberg of WTNH as our special honorary guest; we have the cover band Heat; the Carla’s Pasta truck will be on site; we will have a commemorative toast with beer brewed by Stephen and I; raffle and auction items that you won’t want to miss; but most importantly, updates on the central neurocytoma study that your funds have supported by surgeons at the Yale Brain Tumor Center.

In the five years that we have done this, there has been one constant and that is the support of our family, friends, coworkers, survivors, warriors and caregivers alike, as well as new faces from around the community.  Without your never-ending generosity, this would not be possible.

Because of you, I have hope.  Because of you, brain tumor patients and their families have hope.  Because of you, better treatments are being found and we are inching closer to the cure.

As a ten-year survivor, there is nothing more that I could have asked for when I was diagnosed.  At the outset, I was afraid, albeit confident.  I fought hard to regain all that I lost.  When I finally returned to my old self and came through this adversity, I knew I wanted to make things better for the doctors and patients fighting this disease.  Because of you, I found it within myself to want to champion this cause and give back.

On Friday night, come out and be prepared to have fun.  Open your hearts and your wallets and help to find the cure.  Yankees and Red Sox fans, there’s something for you; if you’re a fan of the Giants, come on out; Elton John fans! food lovers!  You get the hint – we have awesome prizes.  And someone will ride home on this, thanks to my brother-in-law and owner of Al Mac Motors who has donated a scooter every year this fundraiser has been held.

A brain tumor diagnosis is not something that anyone wants to hear.  It is not a ‘sexy’ disease and is underfunded in terms of research dollars.  But you will be helping to change that that, and I am eternally grateful.  The seeds were planted five years ago:

Blinded Me With Science

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We are a little over two weeks away from Brainstormin’ but yet, there is so much work to be done.  And no, I am not talking about the fundraiser itself – at the end of the day on September 14th, everything will have fallen into place and I trust gone off without a hitch.  So the work that has to be done?   I am referring to the efforts of raising additional funds to help the doctors and researchers continue their efforts to better treat brain tumors and ultimately, discover the cure.

This weekend’s news of the passing of Senator John McCain serves as yet another reminder and impetus for the work to carry on and the fight to find the cure.  Another life taken from this dreaded disease, but a life that will not be forgotten.

Through my work with the Connecticut Brain Tumor Alliance and my support of the Yale Brain Tumor Center via the Cusano Family Brain Tumor Fund, I have hopes that further breakthroughs will be discovered and lives will be improved to better treat this diagnosis.

Despite my optimism, we’re still facing obstacles in treating brain tumors, one being the blood-brain barrier.

For those readers who attended Playing for the Cure in 2015, you may recall that the doctors at Yale were working on developing a virus that would be injected into the tumor in an attempt to destroy it directly, without causing harm to any other healthy areas of the body as a result of chemotherapy.  Unlike other types of cancers where treatments can be administered with success, the blood-brain barrier prevents drugs from reaching the brain and affecting the tumor.  However, researchers face the obstacle of raising the funding to take this to a “clinical grade” version for testing in human subjects.

Further, as I mentioned in a recent post, additional findings regarding benign tumors have been identified, namely clues about the molecular processes that drive and cause these tumors to form.  Again, securing the funding for these projects and studies remains a difficult process, but you can help.

As I approach ten years since my miracle, this story is no longer about me and my struggles; rather, the focus has shifted to providing support to the doctors and researchers so that no other patient or family needs to go through this.  Brain tumors do not discriminate based on sex, political affiliation, age, etc.  They are ruthless and destructive, so to this end, I am asking for your support.

If you have not yet done so, please consider joining these efforts to support brain tumor research.  Your first opportunity is on September 14th at the 5th annual Playing for the Cure: Brainstomrin’.  Join my family and I as we raise funds for this groundbreaking  research.  You’ll get to hear, first hand, from brain tumor surgeons and researchers, as they discuss their findings of the studies your past support has funded.  Please, purchase a ticket or contact me to make a contribution if you cannot attend.  There is never a wrong time to participate, nor a donation too small.

Tickets are going fast, so join us for a night out and a celebration of hope.  Your support means the world to us and I know that the doctors and researchers surely appreciate it, too.

And as a bonus, if you’re in attendance, you’ll be in store for a special treat that is brewing…

Kind and Generous

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Growing up, I always enjoyed puzzles, despite my short attention span, growing frustrated as I tried to put them together.  As I sit here and write this, the irony sets in as I now view my life as one giant puzzle and slowly but surely, a complete picture is beginning to take shape.

I have my health, happiness and career pretty well set.  There’s a couple of other parts that are still coming together, but I know that’ll be only a matter of time.

As I’ve alluded to a few times, following my surgery in 2015, I was contacted by a resident at Yale who was undertaking a research project to better understand the underlying genetic alterations that cause neurocytoma.  The research lab obtained a portion of my tumor and I agreed to donate a blood sample to allow them to analyze my DNA to look for any genetic markers.

For everyone involved, we all wanted answers on this particular tumor and to immerse ourselves in knowledge about its origins, genetic markers and hopefully, how to treat it at an early stage.

A neurocytoma is a very, very rare tumor, as evidenced by the literature, or the lack thereof of this tumor type.  As such, finding an abundance of these tumors in Connecticut, or across the country, was difficult.

At the outset of the origination of The Cusano Family Brain Tumor Fund, funds were used as seed funding to help propel research efforts forward to an effective treatment of any type of brain tumor.  This past fall, when my family and I made our annual visit to Yale to present the net proceeds for 2017, a proposal was made to us that a portion of the funding be used to complete the study on neurocytoma, which my family and I emphatically agreed to.  Through the use of the funds raised through Brainstormin‘, additional samples would be obtained from around the world to allow researchers to continue to test their hypothesis.

Fast forward to June 18, 2018.  With my family, friends and sponsors at my side, we spent the day at Yale to hear the results of Phase One of this project and tour the research lab of Dr. Murat Gunel.  The day was surreal, as it was such a satisfying moment for all of us to realize the impact our dollars have made and the lives we hope to affect in the future.  It is our collective hope that no other family has to endure what we did and I am beyond thankful to our donors for their support, as well as the doctors and researchers at Yale for their dedication and efforts on this project.  “For your kindness, I’m in debt to you and I never could have come this far without you.”

I invite you to enjoy some photos and the abstract of the study prepared by the Gunel Lab, which you can hear more about on September 14th!

 

With gracious support from the Cusano Family Brain Tumor Fund, the Gunel Lab at Yale University, has begun to comprehensively characterize the genomic features of Neurocytoma, a rare type of brain tumor, that has long been poorly understood.  In addition to the Yale School of Medicine, a large cohort of tumor samples has been collected from other international collaborators, including the University of Bonn Medical School (Germany), University Hospital of Cologne (Germany), Acibadem University School of Medicine (Turkey), Bahcesehir University (Turkey), Pittsburgh University Medical Center, University of California, and the Canada Brain Tumor Repository.  Using unbiased molecular approaches, the Gunel Lab aims to understand the underlying genomic events driving tumorigenesis (formation) in these tumors.  Ultimately, the hope is that these findings will lead to the development of targeted, personalized treatment for Neurocytoma, leading to improved survival and quality of life for these patients.

To this end, the Gunel Lab has used complementary genomic experiments and bioinformatics approaches on a subset of collected samples.  With completion of the first round of experiments, they have successfully identified preliminary clues about the molecular processes driving and causing formation of these tumors.  A second phase of experiments to further understand these mechanisms is planned, with the hope of sharing their findings with the scientific community to facilitate the development of targeted treatments for this disease.  The Gunel Lab is grateful for the generous support from the Cusano Family Brain Tumor Fund, and their supporters, to continue and complete this important work for patients with Neurocytoma.

With your help, we are on the precipice of something great and I am beyond grateful and humbled by every single donor and company that has supported us year after year.  Let’s help the staff at Yale get to the bottom of this by advancing brain tumor research in an effort to ultimately find the cure.

I Didn’t Understand It Way Back When; But Sitting Here Right Now, It All Makes Perfect Sense

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This past Thursday, we made a visit to the Yale Brain Tumor Center to present the net proceeds of our fundraiser.  The majority of hospital visits are not fun, but this day is always filled with smiles because of the hope that it inspires.  The collaboration between Yale and my family is truly special and something that I know each of us takes to heart.  I cannot thank my family and friends who helped to make this year such a huge success and cannot wait to top it in 2018 as we celebrate my 10th anniversary!

Thank you, Wise Old Moon, for headlining this event and for your enthusiasm to be a part of this event the past two years.  I wish to again thank our corporate sponsors – ShelfSpace Marketing, LLC; Carla’s Pasta; Specialty Packaging; Al Mac Motors; Beirne Wealth Consulting; Sullivan & LeShane, Public Relations; iHeart Radio; WTNH; Stop & Shop; Bank of Montreal; People’s Bank; Connecticut Public Broadcasting Network/CPTV; Edge Technology; Unitas Club; Updike, Kelly & Spellacy, P.C.; Henry, Raymond & Thompson; Guida’s Dairy; Blum Shapiro; Sardilli Produce; Webster Bank; and Russo, Russo & Slania, P.C.  Thank you Shoreline Cafe & Catering and Beach Donuts for donating the sandwiches, donuts and coffee!  To every individual and company that donated items to our raffle and silent auction, your support is appreciated.   And last but not least, thank you Stony Creek Brewery for being an awesome partner in this venture.  The support and awareness that you are bringing to brain tumors is amazing and appreciated by everyone affected by this diagnosis.

Through everyone’s efforts, a grand total of $42,800 was donated to the Yale Brain Tumor Center this year!  As a survivor of this diagnosis, with my family and friends who wanted to help my doctor and his team in some way, I am in awe that between our four concerts and the donation from the Denver Foundation, we have donated $156,650.00 in four years!   The money we have donated thus far has been used as seed funding to help doctors and residents take their research efforts from concepts into reality.

To date, there has been a dedicated undertaking to understand more about the triggers of particular brain tumors and their drivers.  Research is also ongoing to develop nanotechnology to safely administer viruses to particular tumors to destroy the cancer cells, but without harming the brain.

Additionally, within the next six months, Yale will be publishing a study of great interest to my family and I.  A couple of years ago, I was contacted by a resident at Yale who was studying the genetic drivers of central neurocytoma.  I donated a blood sample and a piece of my tumor was obtained by the lab to understand the cause of this mutation.  The Chair of Neurosurgery at Yale is overseeing this study and shared this status update with me.  I plan to meet with him and the resident working on this study to learn more about their findings before the paper is published and I will share these updates at a later date, as well as the resident’s thesis.  What was told to us, and which comes as no surprise to any of us, is that this tumor type is vastly different from any other tumor and does not share many commonalities.

Life is unpredictable.  This is not even something you can conjure up in a dream, but if you had, and told me it would happen to me, I would have said “no way”.  Yet, it did happen and I survived and because of it, I am a better person.  I have a new outlook on life and a new normal.

That double vision nine years ago – it all makes perfect sense now.

I’m On Top Of the World

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What can I say!  I am humbled and blown away by the outpouring of love and support from so many.  To our Annual and Presenting Sponsors ShelfSpace Marketing, Carla’s Pasta and Specialty Packaging LLC. for making this night the best yet!  A HUGE thanks to Renee DiNino and iHeartRadio for being our emcee and giving us amazing coverage!  A very special thank you to Sullivan & LeShane Public Relations, Inc. and WTNH News 8 for sponsoring and bringing great awareness to this cause.  And while the list is too long, a big thank you to all of our sponsors who made the night possible and enabled us to pull this off.  Thank you Stony Creek Beer for hosting us again and your support during the month of September – you guys are great!

Nine years ago, I never would have thought I would want to talk about brain tumors, let alone that I would find it my passion.  As my doctor told you last night, I am cured of this and now it is my opportunity to give back and aid doctors and researchers find the cure, but to also be a ray of hope for those fighting this battle. Fortunately, we are on our way.

While we are not ready to share an exact dollar amount, I am pleased to share that we shattered last year’s efforts!!  Together, we took another step forward in helping doctors at Yale find the cure and I believe we will see the day.  And if you thought last night was a great time, get ready to celebrate my 10 years of survivorship in 2018!!  Get ready Cusano clan!

Thank you everyone! Check back soon or visit cusanosagainstbraintumors.com.

Victorious

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“Adversity.  We cannot direct the wind, but we can adjust the sails.”

After 9 years of making adjustments and coping with bad news that seemed as though it would never end, today, I am victorious.

I spent the morning at Yale for an MRI.  As I laid in the noisy tube, I reflected on the past nine years and thought about what my life would be like if the scan was clear and the tumor truly was gone for good.  For nearly one-third of my life, I have made trips to Yale for surgeries, appointments, having staples removed, and MRI’s that ranged from 3 months to one year.  Going in today, and as I laid there humming to the tapping noises emanating from the machine, I knew there was the distinct possibility that this life experience could be a thing of the past after my appointment with my doctor.  But I take nothing for granted these days, including Ashley, my best friend and the one who has been there with me every step of the day since day one, when I called her after receiving this horrifying diagnosis.

Together, we stalled in the cafeteria until my appointment. Soon after, we went up to the consultation room, he walked in and delivered the news…

“Your brain looks pristine!  Everything looks great!”  He was pretty confident after the last scan that this would be the case and reminded me that he was pretty aggressive during the last surgery, so he was not entirely surprised.  I thought I was dreaming, albeit a happy dream.  Logically, the question “What should our plan be going forward?” was presented.  After a brief discussion, it was decided that I do not need another MRI for 2 YEARS.  Yes, you read that correctly!  If I ever need anything though, I’ll know where to find him.

I have not fully digested this news yet, and it has not quite sunk in.  Fortunately, this chapter of my life appears to have drawn to a close – and I don’t say this lightly. This battle has not been mine
 to bear alone, but that of my family as well – and without all of their support, I would not be here, writing to you.  They have played such an instrumental part in my recovery and never once stopped believing in me, nor allowed me to give up on myself or dreams.

I look forward to many more years of health and sharing my stories of hope, courage and inspiration with each of you.

Cheers!

Teacher Teacher

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“Chris, you have a very large brain tumor, we think it is benign and the pathology will confirm it.  We need to get you into surgery tomorrow.”

What the hell did this mean?  All of this medical jargon was being thrown at my family and I and we had no clue where to turn or what was happening.  In the matter of minutes, I heard about the plans for the operation, the estimates of my prognosis, what to expect after surgery and rehab.  I was told that the tumor most likely was a neurocytoma, but that in and of itself meant nothing to me.  All I heard was brain tumor.  I heard that as long as there were no complications, I’d be home in a week and that I could resume the life I had grown accustomed to living.  Along with my family, we tried to make sense out of all of these terms and to process what my life would be like after the surgery.  However, what I learned very quickly is that there were no tools to guide us on this journey.   Other than confident doctors and nurses, there is nothing that could adequately prepare you for brain surgery, especially in such a short amount of time.  So as I told my surgeon all these years later, I wanted to help the brain tumor center at Yale in assisting  the patients/families they treat there in creating a  tool, a guide anyone in need on this journey so that nobody else has to go through the pain, the hardships, the trials and errors that my family and I endured over the next three months.

Over the past year, I have worked with a team from the Yale Brain Tumor Center in creating this very tool.  While it is still very much a work in progress, I am thrilled by seeing this idea come to life and providing a resource to all who need it.  On the Neurosurgery website of the Yale School of Medicine sits “Brain Tumor Patient Education“.

You will find facts about brain tumors, though not all types.  You can read about what it’s like to “meet your team” for the first time, and this goes well beyond your surgeon and assistant.  We have provided  general information about the various types of treatment and have ensured that the content is presented in a way that anyone can read and comprehend it.  We hear the word “surgery” but it’s so much more than an operation.  There are the pre-surgery procedures a patient has to undergo; there are things a patient should know about during surgery; and finally, life after surgery.  I am sure that reading this could be scary, but it has been put out there to help.  I woke up from surgery and had great difficulties.  My cognitive functions were gone and I was not expecting that.  However, had I have had the chance to know about these things before hand, I would have at least been mentally prepared for the risk.  You will also find information for radiation and chemotherapy here.

Finally, and most importantly for me, was the creation of “life after a brain tumor” to make for a wholly educated patient.  There are helpful links that a patient and their caregiver can visit; resources such as local support; the latest on clinical trials; etc.  Our team went so far as to break it down by life after a benign brain tumor; life after a malignant brain tumor; and life after a metastatic brain tumor.  On each, you will find helpful information on everyday living – driving, work, surveillance (continuing MRIs), eating and drinking, nutrition, traveling, financial counseling, etc.

I am excited to continue working with this talented group of nurses and researchers in putting this “guide” together.  While nothing on this site should be construed as medical advice or opinions, I do hope it is helpful for that newly diagnosed patient and/or family as they embark on this terrifying journey.  I have met so many remarkable people who have undergone each of these different experiences, as well as the caregivers who live this battle with them. Hopefully, with this education, the journey will not seem so bad and you can be a little better prepared than we were.

I guess it is fitting that I write this post just before my first-ever one year MRI (as you’ll read, the intervals for followup varies on a case-by-case basis).  Stay tuned for an update!

Twenty-Four Seven, It’s A Labor of Love

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Well friends – the day has come where I can FINALLY share with you the success of Playing for the Cure: Brainstormin’.  The timing is good as the news has been very negative of late, no matter which party you affiliate with.  So let me cut right to the chase and end the anticipation…

Along with my family and friends, we returned to Yale today on a happy occasion.  No MRI, no office visit – instead, we went with a check in hand with the net proceeds and I am ecstatic to share with you that, this year’s donation was $37,250.00!img_1526

As I handed over the check and in my remarks, I had a moment of reflection.  As I told Dr. Piepmeier and his fellow neurosurgeons, as well as the staff at the Yale Brain Tumor Center, but for them and without their support and care for me, as well as the assurances provided to my family, I would not be here and my family would not be giving their time year after year to raise money to support their research efforts.  It truly is a labor of love.  “Its a full time job, the work’s never done.  Twenty-four seven, it’s a labor of love.”

I have said it before, and I’m going to repeat it here.  But for our sponsors and all of those who contributed and helped to make this year such a success, today’s donation never would have been possible.  Thank you again to our sponsors – ShelfSpace Marketing, LLC, Carla’s Pasta, Specialty Packaging, Beirne Wealth Consulting, Edge Technology Services, Stop and Shop, Unitas Club, Sardilli Produce, iHeart Media, Henry, Raymond & Thompson, LLC, Liuzzi Gourmet Food Market, Guida’s Milk and Ice Cream, The Farmer’s Cow, Severance Foods, Updike, Kelly & Spellacy, P.C.,  Blum Shapiro, Al Mac Motors II, Channel 3 and WTNH.  A huge shout out to Stony Creek Brewery for not only working with us to make this event run so smoothly, but for your extremely generous contribution toward the fund.  And to every single person who came out to share in the night and celebrate with us as we raised money to  help find the cure, thank you.

Going into 2016, my goal was $20,000.  But by early June, after the sponsorship letters were sent out and the checks started rolling in, I upped the goal to $25,000.  Yet never did I imagine, or envision, being able to hand over this sum of money, but let me tell you – I am so proud to do so, and cannot express how grateful I am for each and every one of you!

Today, Dr. Piepmeier shared his continued plans for use of this money, and this includes investing this money into various research projects that he hopes will lead to breakthroughs in treatment options, as well genetic testing.

Together, with the support of the Yale Brain Tumor Center and other facilities throughout the world, the cure to brain tumors will be found.  However, until that time, I remain committed to putting together this fundraiser for Yale as a way of saying “thanks” for saving my life and giving me a second chance at living.

I am forever grateful for my family and friends who got me through these dark days and allowed me to pick myself back up and continued on with my life.  But I am also thankful that you have helped me to explore and find my passion, and that is being an active part of the brain tumor community.

Oh What A Night

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The third Playing for the Cure: Brainstormin’ is in the books and has truly set the bar higher for the future of this event.  There is so much I want to talk about that it is difficult to determine where to begin.  I know the number one question everyone wants answered is “how much was raised?”  While I wish I could tell you, donations are still trickling in and the final accounting has not yet been completed; however, I am ecstatic to share that we have shattered the amounts donated the first two years!  Thank you to each and every person who attended, bought raffle tickets, participated in silent auction, partook in the live auction and my lucky cousin Xander, hope you enjoy that scooter!  A big thanks to you all!

The night would not have been possible without our annual sponsor ShelfSpace Marketing, LLC and our presenting sponsors Carla’s Pasta and Specialty Packaging.  I was, and still am, in shock by what I witnessed.  The lovely and wonderful Carla Squatrito, the Founder and President of Carla’s Pasta, surprised my family and I by chartering a bus of 40+ people to the event.  Words alone cannot express how grateful and surprised I was for this support, and I know that I speak for my family as well, how greatly appreciated and generous this gesture was.  Also joining us was Chris Orsini, the Managing Partner of Specialty Packaging, along with his wife, Linda. To both companies, I cannot express my sincere gratitude in helping to make this year the success that it was and for your show of support of this cause and dedication to helping find the cure.

Thank you Beirne Wealth Consulting, Edge Technology Services, Stop and Shop, Unitas Club, Sardilli Produce, iHeart Media, Henry, Raymond & Thompson, LLC, Liuzzi Gourmet Food Market, Guida’s Milk and Ice Cream, The Farmer’s Cow, Severance Foods, Updike, Kelly & Spellacy, P.C.,  Blum Shapiro, Al Mac Motors II, Channel 3 and WTNH: you made this night possible and are giving hope to those battling a brain tumor diagnosis.  And to every single person and company who donated an item for the raffle or auction – THANK YOU!  Also, a huge thank you to Jillian Shugrue who reached out to me and donated her photography skills and time to photograph (and video) the evening – you did an amazing job!

But what would the night have been without the music from the talented duo Ja2M and the awesome Wise Old Moon?  Your time and skills were so greatly appreciated and I only hope that you enjoyed yourselves as much as everyone enjoyed your sounds.  I hope it was evident from looking out into the crowd how much the crowd enjoyed you guys – I received many great compliments on both bands, so hats off to you!  When I think of the future of this fundraiser, I have longed for a true “festival” with multiple bands and styles of music and you both got the ball rolling in that direction.

In addition, I’d like to thank and recognize Stony Creek Brewery, our host and tremendous partner in this fundraiser.  I am humbled by your support and willingness to partner and work with us throughout the planning stages to the day-of coordination.  Additionally, I would like to thank Ed and Ali for their extremely generous contribution during the month of September.  You took me by complete surprise when you informed me of Charity Wednesdays for the month of September and never could I have imagined such a generous contribution and act of kindness.  You were both so accommodating and great to work with –  I thank you again, and look forward to next year.

Last but not least, and most importantly, a BIG thanks to the Yale Brain Tumor Center and especially, Dr. Piepmeier.  As noted in his remarks, the morning of the concert, Yale went live with its new addition to the website intended to educate patients, survivors, caregivers and families.  The addition of Brain Tumor Patient Education consists of a wealth of links and information put together by doctors, nurses and myself to assist and guide anyone diagnosed with a brain tumor, or their family, through this long journey.  When I was released from the hospital in 2008, I had nowhere to turn nor anybody to talk to about what I was feeling.  As I told the staff at Yale, they needed to give patients and families a place to turn to for answers to questions such as “where do I go from here?” and to provide them with an assurance that they are not alone and provide resources, and “Life After a Brain Tumor” should give some insight.  Collectively, you all changed my life, as well as that of my family, and I could not be happier than to host this fundraiser for you.  I am excited to discuss with you how you plan to use the money donated this year and what breakthroughs you think may be on the horizon, while further enhancing the website.

However, for me, the best part of the night was seeing and meeting fellow brain tumor warriors and survivors and their families.  To be able to put a name to the face, or to meet someone for the very first time and hear their story and let them know that they too can get through these hard times is all that I strive for.

Fortunately for me, I am now cured of this tumor but that does not mean my battle against brain tumors is over.

It is just getting started…