Where Hope Lives
Inspiring stories of compassion, innovation, and transformation at Barrow Neurological Institute made possible by philanthropy.
Your Impact In Action
View real stories of how Barrow Neurological Foundation creates a lasting impact for patients and families.
Narratives of Help and Healing
Hear from the brave patients who have found hope and healing at Barrow while battling the most debilitating neurological conditions.
“It gave me hope knowing that they were willing to try anything and reached out to all their networks local and abroad to find a solution.”
-Kara May
Mother of grateful patient, Brielle May. Neurocritical Care
“My team at Barrow has never given up on me; I am better thanks to their care, and that means absolutely everything to me. Without them, I wouldn’t be who I am or where I am today. For that, I am incredibly grateful.”
-Alison Coombs
Grateful patient at the Lewis Headache Center
“The things my mom is doing for this trial have not only paid substantial dividends for her health but are also paving the way for someone else to have an easier journey. It feels good knowing that we are playing a part in the long-term fight against this disease, and we are grateful to Barrow for giving us this opportunity.”
– Ivan Jones, caretaker
Courageous Hearts
Life-Changers
Share Your Story
Every experience at Barrow is unique and powerful. Whether you’re a patient, family member, or donor, we invite you to share your story and inspire others on their journey.
#BrainAwarenessWeek 🧠 – Many headache disorders cause chronic, debilitating pain that impacts nearly every aspect of life. Status migrainosus is a severe migraine attack that can be incapacitating, resistant to traditional treatments, and may last for days.
Headache neurologist at the Lewis Headache Center at Barrow Neurological Institute, Jennifer Robblee, MD, used MRI technology to analyze and compare brain changes during #statusmigrainosus. Her research aims to improve treatment options for patients suffering from this debilitating condition.
Dr. Robblee presented her findings last June at the American Headache Society (AHS) Annual Scientific Meeting. Read more about the Lewis Headache Center`s impact at Barrow: https://bar.rw/478B1Da
We are so grateful for the incredible generosity of Augie`s Quest to Cure ALS! 💙 Recently, Shafeeq Lahda, MD, director of the Gregory W. Fulton ALS and Neuromuscular Disease Center at Barrow Neurological Institute, had the honor of attending the reception for the Augie`s Quest Golf Tournament, alongside Barrow patient Ernie Ruiz and his family. During the reception, Ernie shared his powerful story and spoke about the critical importance of advancing ALS #research.
We are deeply thankful to Lynne Nieto, Chair of the Board for Augie`s Quest to Cure ALS, for a $5,000 gift to the Fulton ALS Center.
Moments like these remind us how meaningful partnerships can drive progress and hope. Thank you to Augie`s Quest for your support and for being such a strong advocate for families impacted by #ALS.
🧠 This week marks #BrainAwarenessWeek, a global campaign dedicated to raising public awareness about the remarkable progress, benefits, and discoveries in #brain research. To kick things off, we are proud to highlight that Peyton Nisson, MD, a postdoctoral fellow in the Barrow Aneurysm and AVM Research Center, has been awarded a highly competitive grant from The Bee Foundation for Brain Aneurysm Prevention.
Dr. Nisson’s research focuses on the #hormonal and #vascular factors that contribute to the increased incidence of brain aneurysms in #postmenopausal women. His work holds promise for identifying new pathways that could lead to targeted prevention and innovative treatments.
Learn more about our advancements in aneurysm and AVM research at the link in our bio! ⬆️ https://bar.rw/4lumR58
With specialists in neurosurgery, neurology, and neuro-rehabilitation, Barrow Neurological Institute is home to some of the most innovative minds in medicine. Our dedicated teams tirelessly work to:
🔬 Conduct #clinicaltrials that bring new therapies to patients faster.
🧠 Operate research labs that explore the intricacies of the brain and nervous system.
👩🎓 Develop education programs that train the next generation of neuroscience leaders.
When you give, you`re investing in breakthroughs that will leave an impact for generations. Join us in our mission to push the boundaries of neuroscience and improve lives worldwide! Learn more at the link in our bio! ⬆️ https://bar.rw/4shgFjK
💙 A doctor`s care can change everything. At Barrow Neurological Institute, our team provides expert, compassionate care to help ensure no one faces their #neurologic health journey alone. We are honored that many of our doctors, including Kerry Knievel, DO, featured in this video, were named among @phxmagazine`s 2026 Top Docs!
In recognition of #DoctorsDay, honor a Barrow team member who made a difference. Your gift in their honor truly matters. Give today at the link in our bio. ⬆️ https://bar.rw/4dkdZwR
The "Because of B" walk was an incredibly moving event honoring Brielle May`s courageous battle with #FIRESSyndrome—a rare and severe #epilepsy disorder—and celebrated the dedicated medical team at Barrow Neurological Institute whose expertise saved her life and continues her ongoing specialized care.
A huge THANK YOU to everyone who participated, especially Brielle and her family! Your support makes our team`s vital work possible. We cannot express our gratitude strongly enough! 💙
Funds raised directly support the Neurocritical Care Program at Barrow Neurological Institute. Please consider donating at the link in our bio! 👆 https://bar.rw/4sDxpRR
Read Brielle`s story at the link in our bio! https://bar.rw/4up4Lpg
//Repost @barrowneuro // Congratulations to the following physicians at Barrow Neurological Institute, who are among @phxmagazine`s 2026 Top Docs!
Kerry Knievel, DO - Neurology
Christina Kwasnica, MD - Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
Bryan Lee, MD - Neurosurgery
Joyce Lee-Iannotti, MD - Sleep Medicine
Matthias Linke, DO - Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
Andrew Little, MD - Neurosurgery
Marc McLawhorn, MD - Anesthesiology
Rory Murphy, MD - Neurosurgery
Griffin Santarelli, MD - Otolaryngology
Laura Snyder, MD - Neurosurgery
Each year, the magazine invites all physicians in the Phoenix metropolitan area to nominate their peers across dozens of specialties.
Dr. Kwasnica, a Top Doc of more than 20 years, made the 2026 list in PM&R for both pediatrics and adults. In the pediatric PM&R category, she earned more votes than any other doctor. Drs. Murphy and Lee-Iannotti were also top vote-getters in their categories, and Drs. Knievel and Santarelli were selected by the magazine for Q&A features.
Additionally, PHOENIX magazine polled its Instagram audience to determine Arizona`s most famous celebrity doctor of all time. Of the four contenders, Barrow Emeritus Chair of Neurosurgery Robert F. Spetzler, MD, was declared the winner with 54% of the vote.
Finally, the magazine gave a special shoutout to Terry Fife, MD, in its "in absentia" section. Dr. Fife, who established the Neuro-Otology Program at Barrow, recently retired after more than 30 years on our faculty. He was named a PHOENIX Top Doc in 1996, 1998, 2002, 2004, 2015, and 2016.
View the full 2026 list and read the Q&As at bar.rw/phxtopdocs26. Link in bio.
Attention football fans! 🏈 Thanks to the generosity of the Arizona Rattlers, discount tickets are available for our Barrow community! Join us for #WorldParkinsonsDay on April 11th at Desert Diamond Arena where the Arizona Rattlers will go against the San Antonio Gunslingers! Click the 🔗 in our bio to get your tickets. https://bar.rw/4l94BxU
$5 from every ticket purchased through the link will support outreach programs at the #MuhammadAliParkinsonCenter at Barrow Neurological Institute.
🩺 On March 30th each year, we celebrate #NationalDoctorsDay - a day dedicated to honoring physicians for their dedication and service to patients. This year, we invite you to share a message of gratitude for a Barrow team member who made a difference in your life or a loved one`s.
Share your gratitude and hear more about what it means to our team at the link in our bio! ⬆️ https://bar.rw/46zQ9t4
Miles for Migraine is coming up! This event is a fundraiser for #migraine & #headache awareness, treatment & research. The Lewis Headache Center at Barrow Neurological Institute is proud to be a beneficiary of this event.
Come join the Lewis Headache Center team! We cannot wait to see you there. Sign up today at the link in our bio. 👆 https://bar.rw/miles4migraine2026. You can also support the cause as a virtual participant.
🗓️: Saturday, March 14, 2026
⏰: 9 a.m.
📍: Kiwanis Park, Tempe, AZ
Barrow President and CEO, Michael T. Lawton, MD, and Tomoki Hashimoto, MD, have co-authored a new article revealing critical links between microplastics and neurologic health. Published in the Congress Quarterly, the newsmagazine of the Congress of Neurosurgical Surgeons, this highlights the concerning presence of microplastics in our environment and its profound implications, including worse stroke outcomes.
This work is now further supported by a research grant from the Brain Aneurysm Foundation. This success directly demonstrates the power of early-stage funding generated by donors like you, which allows our scientists to test novel ideas, generate preliminary data, and ultimately secure larger, highly competitive grants.
Read the full article here: https://bar.rw/4sbc7dU. Link in bio.
#TBT - We cannot believe that this was ONE year ago today! ⛳ On Wednesday, February 26, 2025, we raised an incredible $1 million through the inaugural golf tournament, The Barrow Open! This tournament was in support of a key initiative: to help athletes safely return to their game after a spine injury.
This initiative aims to establish a first-of-its-kind research lab, the Barrow Sports Biomechanics Spine Laboratory at @barrowneuro. Thanks to your support, Barrow experts are equipped to lead vital research into effective treatments and science-backed return-to-play guidelines, starting with the complex biomechanics of the golf swing. Read more about our progress: https://bar.rw/4sftmuN. Link in bio. ⬆️
The Barrow Open was graciously presented by @pxg with special support from @wedealinhope and took place at the iconic TPC Scottsdale Stadium Course. We are incredibly grateful for their support!
Share Your Story
Whether you’re a current of former patient, family member, staff member, or generous donor, we want to hear how Barrow has impacted your life. Your story will help inspire, education and provide hope to all.
