Barrow Neurological Foundation was recently highlighted on Your Life Arizona on Arizona’s Family, where Michele S. Gregory, MS, President of Barrow Neurological Foundation and Chief Philanthropy Officer at Barrow Neurological Institute, sat down with host Darrell Cunningham to share how donor support is transforming the future of neuroscience through care, research, and education.
Barrow Neurological Foundation is the philanthropic partner of Barrow Neurological Institute, and is dedicated to providing the resources for the Institute to fulfill its mission of saving and changing lives. When donors give to Barrow, their support reaches far and wide, touching the lives of patients and their families, medical professionals, and the broader community.
A Personal “Neuro Story” That Comes Full Circle
During the interview, Michele shared the deeply personal experience that shaped her philanthropic work. At just seven years old, she watched her grandfather suffer from multiple strokes — an early encounter with neurological illness. She shared watching him “change from someone who was bigger than life, to being unable to talk, walk, and feed himself” left a lasting impact. She continued that “at the time, I didn’t understand the science behind it, but I understood the loss.”
Years later, Michele’s career in neurologic-focused fundraising began at the American Association of Neurological Surgeons. “It felt like coming home,” she shared. “I was learning all about advances in neuroscience, specifically stroke.” Joining Barrow Neurological Foundation felt like a natural continuation of that calling.
What Sets Barrow Apart: 100% of Donations Make a Difference
One of the most powerful messages from the segment came from Michele sharing about the Foundation’s unique, personalized giving approach. Unlike many healthcare nonprofits, 100% of every donation to Barrow Neurological Foundation goes directly to the programs donors choose to support. “For me, that would be our stroke program,” Michele said. “People are funding impact —they’re funding what they care about, their passions and experiences.”
When donors give to Barrow Neurological Foundation, there’s no confusion about what their dollars are funding. At Barrow, philanthropy directly supports:
- Groundbreaking research
- Innovative patient care, including outreach
- Education and training for the next generation of neuroscience specialists
Looking Ahead: Life‑Changing Innovations on the Horizon
The interview also highlighted what’s next for Barrow, and why philanthropic support is more critical than ever. “We are on the forefront, we are pioneers here in neuroscience and we really want to continue that focus,” Michele said.
She pointed to several areas where philanthropy is accelerating progress:
- Expanded epilepsy monitoring
- Advanced headache and migraine therapies
- Research that redefines what’s possible in neuro-care
With donor support, Barrow Neurological Institute continues to be a world leader in the neurosciences, underscored by a relentless commitment to improving outcomes and providing hope to patients and their families.
“It matters to donors where they are giving their funds, and what kind of impact they are having. Whether it’s advances in technology and research, building programs, bringing in more physicians, it really does matter, and we try to demonstrate that impact because they do want to know, ‘how are my gifts changing lives.’ It matters where you get your care, and we’re thrilled to be able to partner and work right alongside Barrow Neurological Institute to really help change and advance research, education and patient care.”
– Michele S. Gregory, MS