The Rob and Melani Walton
Outpatient Neuro-Rehabilitation Gym
Joe Niekro Foundation™ gives grant and award to Joseph Zabramski, MD Supporting advances in research for rare cerebrovascular conditions
Joe Niekro Foundation™ Board members (left to right) Bill and Linda Michels, Kimberly Chapman and Natalie Niekro award a $160,000 grant to Joseph Zabramski, MD, and Yashar Kalani, MD, PhD, to support AVM research at Barrow.
Above: Melani and Rob Walton; Robert Spetzler, MD, CEO and President, Barrow Neurological Institute Left: Jim Boomer in the Ekso exoskeleton rehabilitation suit.
n Successful treatment for brain and spine disorders, injuries and diseases is often just the first step in a positive outcome for patients. Just as important is a comprehensive rehabilitation program that returns the patient to a fulfilling life. Thanks to Rob and Melani Walton and the Walton Family Foundation, The Rob and Melani Walton Outpatient Neuro-Rehabilitation Gym enables patients to lead productive lives and expands the high quality of patient care for which Barrow Neurological Institute is known. The new rehabilitation gym opened its doors in March 2015—made possible by a gift of $250,000 from The Rob and Melani Walton Fund of the Walton Family Foundation. This state-of-the-art gym is designed specifically for patients who are recovering from brain and/or spinal cord injuries, stroke, concussions and brain tumor resections. In the past
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Barrow Magazine 2016, Issue 1
year, 10,464 rehabilitation sessions have taken place at the gym with approximately 1,000 to 1,200 patients being treated each month. “It’s not uncommon to witness a paralyzed patient walk again or a brain-injury patient speak again at the neuro-rehabilitation center,” says Christina Kwasnica, MD, medical director of Barrow neuro-rehabilitation. “Patients have access to wheelchair-accessible equipment, innovative rehabilitation technology and dedicated therapists, nurses and social workers who work with patients to strengthen their weaknesses and utilize their capabilities.” The Rob and Melani Walton Outpatient Neuro-Rehabilitation Gym is part of a larger outpatient rehabilitation center that is custom built to help patients and their support systems get back to an active life.
Over the past 10 years, they have donated more than $670,000; their generous support has funded numerous projects in rehabilitation services and other Barrow initiatives. “Rob and I are very excited to be part of the new Barrow Neuro-Rehabilitation Center, mostly for the renowned care and support Barrow provides for patients and their families,” says Melani Walton. “With the patient-focused care of Barrow, along with the multidisciplinary teams of highly qualified practitioners, the outpatient neuro-rehabilitation gym is uniquely positioned to ensure best care.” To learn more about how you can support Barrow neuro-rehabilitation programs, visit SupportBarrow.org. n
n Barrow Neurological Foundation was awarded a $160,000 grant from the Joe Niekro Foundation™ to support research aimed at discovering how certain cerebrovascular abnormalities— specifically arteriovenous malformations (AVMs)—affect the blood vessels of the brain, oftentimes with devastating consequences. This is the second gift, totaling $210,000, made by the Joe Niekro Foundation™ to support a study under investigation by Joseph Zabramski, MD, and Yashar Kalani, MD, PhD, at Barrow Neurological Institute. Their research seeks to identify patients at risk for AVMs earlier, offering them treatment before the condition becomes life-threatening. The grant was announced at the foundation’s 6th Annual Knuckle Ball…A Pitch for Life gala last October, where Dr. Zabramski was honored as the Joe Niekro Medical Humanitarian of the Year. The award is given annually to a neurological medical professional for research advancements and treatment studies of cerebral aneurysms, AVMs and hemorrhagic strokes. “Much of what we do at the Joe Niekro Foundation™ is at the core of Dr. Zabramski’s research and practice,”
says Natalie Niekro, founder and executive director. “We are thrilled to honor Dr. Zabramski with this much deserved award. He encompasses all of the passion and innovative clinical skills that drive our foundation’s mission.” Natalie established the foundation in 2008, prompted by the sudden loss of her father from a brain aneurysm in 2006. Following her father’s death, she discovered there were no support services for families affected by brain aneurysms or similar conditions, nor was funding available to advance research to defeat them. “I couldn’t understand how my healthy father, who had jogged five miles that morning, could be gone just hours later,” says Natalie. “I wanted answers … and comfort from others who’d been through this experience. When I couldn’t find what I needed, I decided to create it myself. I don’t want others to feel as alone as I did.” Joe Niekro was a 22-year MLB veteran who played for seven Major League Baseball teams, primarily the Houston Astros. His signature pitch was the knuckleball, which has an unpredictable flight path and is extremely difficult to hit. Niekro is still recognized as one of the top-10 knuckleball pitchers of all time.
“It was an extraordinary privilege to be chosen as the Joe Niekro Foundation Medical Humanitarian of the Year as well as to receive this grant,” said Dr. Zabramski. “I am humbled and grateful to have the continued support of the foundation to help us unravel the mysteries of AVMs through ongoing research.” n
ABCs of Arteriovenous Malformations (AVMs)
These tangled mass of abnormal blood vessels: • affect less than 1 percent of the population • occur in people of any race or gender • are most commonly diagnosed in patients between the ages of 20 and 40 years old • can rupture and cause brain bleeds, much like a stroke. Although AVMs are rare, the consequences for patients are life-changing. Join us in supporting research to discover causes and more advanced treatments of AVMs and other cerebrovascular abnormalities by making a gift at SupportBarrow.org.
SupportBarrow.org
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