Minds Matter fundraiser attendees moved deeply by accounts of bravery in the face of adversityOn Wednesday, October 6, friends and supporters of the Northwestern Brain Tumor Institute (NBTI), as well as dedicated faculty and staff, gathered at the Palmer House Hotel in downtown Chicago to celebrate at the institute’s 2nd annual benefit dinner, Minds Matter. The fundraising event included a live auction, as well as musical entertainment and special friends, including talk show host and accomplished actress and comedian, Ms. Bonnie Hunt, as the evening's special guest. The evening was a tremendous success, raising $606,592 in net funds to support research in the field of brain and spinal cord tumors.  | Drs. Chandler and Raizer (l to r) |  | Dr. Rudy E. Sabbagha, Jean Malnati Miller, Richard Miller, Dr. Asma Sabbagha,Ms. Hunt, Dr. Randa Sabbagha, and Brian Edwards (l to r)The Sabbagha Family were presenting sponsors for the gala |  | Laura Kofoid, Mr. Fitch, and David Ricci (l to r)
Ms. Kofoid and Mr. Ricci were dinner event co-chairs for the gala |
Co-directors of the institute, Drs. James Chandler and Jeffrey Raizer, shared updates on the institute’s research, and thanked all attendees for their altruistic gifts toward their work and that of their colleagues. Likewise, touching stories of resilience and hope were shared with the audience, bringing tears to most eyes across the ballroom. One particular stirring account came from keynote speaker Mr. Denny Fitch, whose tremendous life story is the embodiment of determination. “Awareness, word of mouth, and research are what propel a lot of our advances, and it is so critical to the 20,000 people facing new diagnoses of this disease every year that we have patients like Denny advocating on our behalf,” said Dr. Raizer. Almost 20 years ago, while Mr. Fitch—a trained pilot—was a passenger on United Flight 232, he bravely took the helm when all flight controls were lost. Utilizing his skill and courage, Mr. Fitch was able to steer the plane by throttles alone toward a safer landing in Sioux City, Iowa, saving the lives of 184 of the 296 people on board. Mr. Fitch shows his courage once again as he faces his glioblastoma diagnosis. Dr. Chandler, who serves as Mr. Fitch’s surgeon, shared that his patient’s overwhelming positivity truly affects his overall health, bringing daily strength to his fight. “As a general policy, I will tell patients who do not seem up for the challenge that they should come back and see me when they’re 100% on board with fighting the disease, because those with a positive attitude, like Denny, have the best outcomes,” said Dr. Chandler. “To be in his presence is truly a life-changing experience.” Gala attendees were visibly moved by Mr. Fitch’s account, and gave generously throughout the evening. Of note, apart from the live auction and ticket and raffle proceeds, the “fund-a-cause” paddle raiser raised $83,155 to support a new full-time social worker to help meet the needs of NBTI patients and their families. In November, Mary Koludrovic, LCSW, will begin as a social worker in the department of supportive oncology for the institute. To view more photos from the gala, please click here. | 
