Coming off the heels of a record-setting 2024 in terms of donations, the Connecticut Brain Tumor Alliance (CTBTA) is granting $190,000 to the five Connecticut hospitals where brain tumor surgery is performed and patient support is provided, as well as $15,000 to Healing Meals to support an earmarked fund solely for the benefit of brain tumor patients and their families. This surpasses the previous largest amount the CTBTA has ever donated in one year.
This year’s donations, which will begin later in April next and continue through early June, are as follows:
- Hartford Healthcare – $40,000
- Yale School of Medicine/Smilow Cancer Hospital – $75,000
- Saint Francis Hospital – $25,000
- Connecticut Children’s Medical Center—$40,000
- UConn Health – $10,000
- Healing Meals Community Project —$15,000
Since the CTBTA began raising money to aid hospitals in research and patient support in 2008, it has raised and donated over $2.1 million.
Said CTBTA CEO Chris Cusano, “With the help and support of donors, our sponsors and the community, the CTBTA had an amazing year in 2024 and thanks to you, we are able to make our largest total award to date. These funds will continue supporting our Patient Assistance Funds, for expenses such as rent, mortgage, utilities and household bills. We are also supporting novel research projects, such as analyzing how genetics and epigenetics of brain tumors influence clinical behavior at the Yale School of Medicine. Funds will also support patient outreach, education and awareness efforts, which we anticipate will result in improving the experience for a brain tumor patient and their family. Additionally, we will continue our support of the Healing Meals Community Project with a donation to the Tracey Gamer-Fanning CTBTA Healing Meals Patient Assistance Funds. In 2024, this fund provided 125 weeks of meals to 7 families, so these additional dollars will have an even greater impact.”
The CTBTA’s next two major fundraisers are the annual Path of Hope 5K, taking place on Saturday, May 10th at Bushnell Park and the annual Playing for the Cure: Brainstormin’, which is taking place at Stony Creek Brewery on Thursday, September 4th.