$5.1 million was raised for the Ivy Brain Tumor Center, this year’s Women’s Board Project.
The Women’s Board of Barrow Neurological Foundation announced that its 61st Barrow Grand Ball, held on January 24, 2026, raised $11.4 million for Barrow Neurological Institute. With unparalleled passion and dedication, 2026 Ball co-chairs Sydney Fox and Betsy Moore led fundraising efforts to support Barrow physicians, scientists, and clinicians in advancing research that saves lives and improves the quality of life.
One of the most impactful ways the Women’s Board supports Barrow follows a 20-year tradition of selecting a critical area of research to receive special funding as the “Women’s Board Project.” The Board was proud to select the Ivy Brain Tumor Center, led by Dr. Nader Sanai, as its project for the 2026 Ball.
“We are incredibly proud to support the Ivy Center as this year’s Women’s Board Project. Glioblastoma is the most common and most lethal brain cancer in adults, with a five-year survival rate of less than 5%. The Ivy Center’s transformational research to discover new treatments for glioblastoma and other incurable brain tumors inspired the Board’s selection of this project,” said Katie Mueller, 2025-26 Women’s Board Chairman.
The Ivy Center’s innovative Phase 0 clinical trials program gives brain tumor patients and their families something they’ve never had before—answers in days, not years. This rapid “go/no-go” model dramatically accelerates discovery, reduces wasted time and cost, and gives patients faster access to the most promising new treatments—bringing hope to patients, families, and caregivers at the most difficult moment of their lives. An impressive $5.1 million was raised specifically through the Ball to help advance critical research at the Ivy Center.
“I extend my profound gratitude to the Women’s Board. Your dedication and generosity to the Ivy Brain Tumor Center enable us to provide patients with access to therapies unavailable anywhere else in the world. It is with your partnership that we continue to discover new treatments for glioblastoma and other incurable brain tumors, changing the future of brain cancer,” said Nader Sanai, MD, Director of the Ivy Brain Tumor Center and Francis & Dionne Najafi Chair for Neurosurgical Oncology at Barrow.
In addition to the Ivy Center, the 2026 Ball supported research across a wide range of Barrow departments and centers, including stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, ALS, aneurysms and AVMs, epilepsy, diabetes, concussion, headache, spinal disorders, and more.
“I am continually impressed by the commitment of the Women’s Board to funding cutting-edge research and innovation at Barrow Neurological Institute. Their generous support enables us not only to tackle the most urgent challenges in neuroscience but also to chase our lofty vision of understanding the workings of the mind. The Women’s Board is making a tangible difference in patients’ lives and transforming the future of medicine,” said Michael T. Lawton, MD, President and CEO of Barrow Neurological Institute.