Hayley & Zac Arch
The 4th book in the Tot the Talented Otter Series: The Hive for Hope, captures the heart of what we believe The Bee Foundation stands for: community, courage, and the belief that even the smallest acts can make a powerful difference. Through the bees in the story, children can learn what we have experienced by working closely with TBF which is that hope grows when we work together, lift one another up, and never stop striving to protect one another. Our hope is that it’s a gentle reminder that awareness, action, and compassion can change lives.
TBF has become part of our legacy of giving because its mission is deeply intertwined with purpose, impact, and love. The work they do changes outcomes, strengthens families, and honors the stories of those who have been lost as a result of Brain aneurysms and those who are continuing to fight. Giving to TBF means investing in research that saves lives, education that empowers communities, and support that reminds survivors and families that they are never alone.
For us, TBF represents the kind of legacy that matters: one rooted in hope, shaped by community, and dedicated to making the world safer for others. It’s a legacy we are proud to carry forward. It is one filled with meaning, connection, and the unwavering belief that together, we can prevent brain aneurysms and protect countless futures.
Tanyeri Barak, MD
I am deeply honored to be one of the 2024 Research Grant Recipients of The Bee Foundation. My lab is dedicated to understanding the factors driving the formation and progression of intracranial aneurysms. Our primary focus is uncovering genetic risk factors in familial IAs, sporadic cases, and rare clinical presentations, such as early-onset subarachnoid hemorrhage or patients with multiple IAs, cases likely driven by high-penetrance rare genetic variants.
Complementing the genetic approach, we are striving to understand the risk factors that drive rupture at the tissue level. Our recent paper: “Immune Characterization of Intracranial Aneurysms Using Noninvasive Endoluminal Biopsy With High-Dimensional Single-Cell Phenotyping”, is a key part of this effort, where we utilized a novel noninvasive endoluminal biopsy approach coupled with single-cell phenotyping using a technique called Cytometry by Time-of-Flight (CyTOF). This innovative approach enabled us to immune profile and distinguish the intracranial aneurysms without the need for tissue resection. We co-led this project with Dr. Murat Gunel, the Chair of Department of Neurosurgery, with Dr. Joseph Antonios, a future surgeon-scientist and Chief Neurosurgery Resident at Yale, serving as the first-name author. However, I cannot emphasize enough that this project is a true collaborative effort, made possible by the support of the exceptional clinical team, particularly Drs. Charles Matouk, Ryan Hebert, and the broader clinical faculty.
I want to particularly thank the entire team at TBF for tirelessly working on bringing clinicians, scientists, patients, and families together in a shared mission. TBF reminds us that whether we are patients, family members, or researchers, we all have a critical role to play, and that science unites us in the fight against this disease.
Julie Brothers
My brain aneurysm came out of nowhere — a sudden, blinding headache I thought was just a migraine quickly turned into the worst moment of my life. After being misdiagnosed at first, I finally ended up at Mount Sinai, where doctors discovered a ruptured aneurysm and performed life-saving surgery. What happened next — my recovery, my return to work and travel, and simply getting back to “normal” — reminded me how precious life truly is. Mount Sinai Health System
Sharing my story at the 2025 HONEYBASH Fireside Chat with Dr. Chris Kellner was one of the bravest things I’ve done, because I wanted others to see that there is life after a brain aneurysm. We talked about trusting your instincts, the importance of early detection, and how treatment can bring hope, not just survival. The Bee Foundation
I choose The Bee Foundation because their mission speaks to me — raising awareness, supporting survivors, and helping families understand that they don’t have to face this alone. My legacy isn’t just survival — it’s advocacy, connection, and making sure someone else’s “worst day” has a chance to turn into a new beginning.
Ann Carpenter
It is hard to believe it has been almost two years since my sister, Marlene, passed away from a ruptured brain aneurysm. Within a few months of her death, I learned that I also had an aneurysm and underwent an immediate stent placement. The diagnostic screening for me was very simple, yet it never would have occurred had it not been for my sister—who truly saved my life.
The question “Why her?” eventually became “Why anyone?” when early detection for such a devastating illness can be so simple. There are countless diagnostic screenings done today because prevention is key.
I have found solace and joy in my memories of my sister, and I’ve learned that healing isn’t about being strong—it’s about honoring her and carrying that love forward. That’s when my niece, Rhiannon, learned about TBF, and their mission became our motivation to press on. We found their passion, hope, and commitment to be both remarkable and genuine.
The 2025 race series was right up our alley when it came to fundraising and giving. Preparing and campaigning for donations leading up to the race was inspiring, and the support from TBF was incredible. Our MILES FOR MARLENE walk was very successful, and we raised over $13K thanks to all of Marlene’s family and friends. It is a gratifying feeling to know that we can make a difference and that “we can be heroes… just for one day.”
We look forward to working with TBF and plan to continue hosting this race series event every year to help raise awareness and fund research for brain aneurysm prevention.
Bees are Us!
Kirsten & Steve Edling
We support The Bee Foundation because we believe in showing up — for the mission, for the community, and for each other. Volunteering at TBF events and helping behind the scenes has become a meaningful way for our family to give back and stay connected to a cause that truly matters.
As a TBF Ambassador, I am proud to fundraise through the Race Series and to involve our kids every step of the way. Running, volunteering, and cheering together has helped us turn service into a family value and show our children what compassion and commitment look like in action.
We choose TBF because of its heart, its community, and its impact — and we’re grateful to be part of a mission that brings hope to so many.
Sharon Frederickson
In 2025, our community launched Kilometers for Kiki—a family-friendly 5K in New Buffalo, MI—benefiting The Bee Foundation for Brain Aneurysm Prevention. Neighbors, runners, volunteers, and local businesses came together to participate, donate, and raise awareness. Some participants even dressed as bees, bringing an uplifting and hopeful spirit to the event. The day transformed grief into purpose and awareness into action—all in support of TBF’s mission to fund research and prevent brain aneurysms.
“Why has TBF become part of your own legacy of giving?”
On September 18, 2024, my niece and goddaughter, Katelyn “Kiki” Kelly, died from a brain aneurysm. The Bee Foundation gave my family a way to channel heartbreak into hope—by funding critical research, elevating education, and turning prevention into a public conversation. Our legacy is to keep Kiki’s light working in the world: to help spare other families this kind of loss and to build an annual event that raises awareness, fuels science, and reminds our community that love can move feet, hearts, and outcomes. Supporting TBF is how we turn remembrance into impact.
The McCarthy & Hillers Family
Our beautiful daughter Brittany, Ashely’s twin sister passed away tragically at only 21 years old. Life wasn’t fair to her, due to a ruptured brain aneurysm. We live in pain everyday without her.
What we do with The Bee Foundation is from our hearts. To raise awareness of this disease and to help fund for much needed research. To help others in Brittany’s honor and to keep her legacy alive, with the hope to help save the lives of others. Since we lost Brittany in 2021, we have been dedicated to fundraising through the Brittany McCarthy Memorial Race on Staten Island New York. We are so thankful to the The Bee Foundation for their continued support and providing us a space to honor Brittany with four research grants in her name.
Leslie Miller
Launching the AdventHealth Rehabilitation Peer Support Program has been one of the most meaningful chapters of my recovery journey. As a brain aneurysm rupture survivor, I know how disorienting and lonely the transition from hospital to home can feel, especially when the hardest challenges are the ones no one can see. The Peer Support Program was created to bridge that gap by connecting patients and their loved ones with trained volunteers who have lived through similar brain injuries. Through one-on-one conversations, emotional guidance, practical tips, and curated recovery resources, the program provides the understanding and connection many survivors say they wish they had when they first returned home.
Serving as the program’s first trained volunteer has allowed me to turn my lived experience into something purposeful and healing. Each time I sit with a patient or family member, share my story, or offer the tools I once needed myself, I’m reminded that hope is most powerful when it’s shared. This program ensures survivors are met with compassion, validation, and a sense of community at the moment they need it most, and I’m honored to play a part in bringing that support to life.
The Bee Foundation has become part of my legacy of giving because its mission speaks directly to my own experience as a brain aneurysm rupture survivor. In the early stages of my recovery, I felt alone and unsure of what to expect. Finding TBF changed that. Connecting with people who understood what I’d been through, and who were working every day to improve awareness and support, became a critical part of my own healing.
Over time, my involvement with TBF has grown in ways that feel natural and meaningful. As a TBF Ambassador, I attend support groups, connect with other survivors, and help raise research funds and awareness in my community. And each year, participating in fundraising events like the HoneyBash Gala reminds me how powerful our collective efforts can be. TBF gives me a place where my personal experience and professional strengths can come together to help others. Giving back through TBF not only supports survivors—it continues to support me, too.
Cat Navarro-Lee
Storytelling has the power to connect us, to heal us, and to move us into action — and that’s why I’m proud to stand with The Bee Foundation. From emceeing the 2024 Gala to hosting conversations with survivors, TBF Grantees, and new voices across the West Coast, my work has been about elevating stories that matter and bringing our community closer together.
Every interview, every introduction, and every shared experience reminds me how courage and honesty can transform fear into connection. I’m honored to help amplify voices — survivors, researchers, caregivers — whose journeys inspire hope and spark awareness.
I choose The Bee Foundation because each story we share helps build a future where no one feels alone on this journey. Through storytelling, we invite more people in, grow our collective impact, and deepen the meaning of support, hope, and community.
Arnold & Porter Team
Arnold & Porter is proud to have represented The Bee Foundation for Brain Aneurysm Prevention (TBF) on a pro bono basis in Washington, DC, for over a decade. Brain aneurysm research is severely underfunded compared to other conditions of similar prevalence and harm. Together, we’ve worked to advance Ellie’s Law (H.R. 2678/S. 1609), a bipartisan bill that would authorize $20 million in additional research funding for brain aneurysm prevention and treatment at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). While Ellie’s Law has not yet passed, our advocacy has helped almost quadruple federal funding over the last 10 years – from $0.83 per person affected to $3.02 today. Through TBF’s annual Advocacy Day on Capitol Hill, which A&P organizes, hundreds of survivors and advocates have shared their stories to urge Congress to act. A&P remains committed to TBF’s mission until Ellie’s Law is enacted and federal research receives the funding needed to better understand, treat, and prevent brain aneurysms.
A commitment to pro bono service has been a core value of Arnold & Porter since the firm’s founding, reflected in more than 100,000 hours of pro bono work in 2024. The Bee Foundation has been a longtime pro bono client, and our team has dedicated hundreds of hours annually to advancing its mission, including over 370 hours in 2025 alone. TBF exemplifies our values of community and inclusivity by providing support to survivors regardless of background and advocating for increased funding to advance research that will save lives. Together, we empower survivors and families to share their stories and influence policy. On a personal note, many of our colleagues have been directly affected by brain aneurysms, reinforcing our resolve to support TBF and its mission.
Dave Prickett
The Give N Go Charity Soccer Tournament, hosted by Synergy Soccer Club, became the perfect platform to introduce The Bee Foundation and its mission to a new audience. Through thoughtful marketing, educational outreach, and a lineup of exciting, relevant raffle prizes, we created an experience that inspired participation, raised awareness, raised funds and truly enhanced the overall experience. Living up to the Give N Go tagline, the most important game you will ever play.
The Bee Foundation has opened my eyes to the diverse range of support needed to prevent brain aneurysms. As a survivor, I’ve learned that my experience matters—I can offer knowledge, understanding, and compassion that few can give. Through the foundation, I’ve also connected with a powerful community of fellow survivors, caregivers, doctors, and others who have been impacted. It’s empowering to know that I am part of this community and can truly make a meaningful difference by being myself, creating a legacy built on the opportunity to help save lives.
Elizabeth Ratta
Movement has always been my way of creating change. This year marked my fifth annual race in support of The Bee Foundation and the Rita Skertich Research Grant, and I was proud to also help launch Minutes in March — a month-long movement challenge that turned everyday activity into awareness and impact.
Together, our community raised enough funding to support a second Rita Skertich Research Grant and continued support through the Rita Skertich Patient Fund, providing $500 grants to five families in 2025 during a time of great need.
I choose to support The Bee Foundation because research, awareness, and community truly save lives. Every step taken is a step toward hope — and I’m honored to be part of that mission.
Tricia Scobey
The Brain Aneurysm Foundation (TBF) has become an integral part of my philanthropic legacy, reflecting the profound impact it has had on me personally and on the broader brain aneurysm community. As a survivor, finding others with shared experiences can be challenging; TBF, however, provides a vital, safe haven where survivors can share their journeys, offer mutual support, and navigate this difficult path together. The prevention aspect of TBF’s mission is also deeply personal. I firmly believe that no one should endure what I went through, and funding preventive research is our only path to achieving that goal. Running has been a lifelong pursuit and a significant force in my own healing process. The synergy of running’s restorative power and the mission of brain aneurysm prevention felt like a natural fit. I began fundraising for TBF through my running journey just six months into my recovery, nearly five years ago. Launching the TBF Race Series was the next logical step. Collaborating closely with TBF staff, we transformed this vision into reality in 2022, and the initiative has flourished ever since.
This year, the 2025 TBF Race Series proudly reached a significant milestone, surpassing $100,000 in funds raised. My mornings were often spent in meetings with TBF staff, strategically working to expand the series through increased sponsorships and participation. Being the only race director who is also a survivor presents unique challenges, yet it allows me to foster a uniquely inclusive environment where all ages—runners and walkers alike—participate side-by-side. Our events are filled with laughter and tears, where conversations about brain aneurysms are open and honest. With the unwavering support of my friends, family, fellow survivors, and those who have lost loved ones, we continue to move forward, one step at a time, united by the common goal of finding a way to prevent this devastating disease from affecting any more lives.
Minda Thurman
I am truly honored to be named a 2025 TBF Champion for my work spreading awareness in my local community and completing a strategy paper on The Bee Foundation as part of my coursework. I am deeply grateful to God for the connection and love I’ve found within the TBF family. It has become my safe space — and my reason to give back.
The Bee Foundation is now part of my legacy of giving because it represents healing and hope. To bee an ambassador means advocating fiercely for a cause I wholeheartedly believe in: raising awareness and funding critical research for the prevention and treatment of AVMs and aneurysms. It has become part of who I am — something I carry with me everywhere I go.
TBF gave me the space to recover from the most challenging experience of my life, and in that space I found strength, community, faith, and purpose. By supporting this mission, I honor those we’ve lost while helping protect future lives through education, advocacy, and research.
Being recognized as a Champion is more than an honor — it’s a reminder that grief can be transformed into purposeful action. This recognition strengthens my commitment to continue raising awareness, supporting survivors, and advancing prevention-focused research as my lasting contribution.
Magaly Plaza Urban
My journey with brain aneurysms changed my life in ways I never expected. Being diagnosed with two unruptured aneurysms brought fear, uncertainty, and questions about the future — but it also led me to The Bee Foundation and a community that reminded me I was not alone. Just one month before my surgery, I joined a TBF support group. The kindness, understanding, and shared strength I found there helped carry me through one of the hardest moments of my life. TBF became a place of connection, hope, and healing — and that is why giving back is so important to me. Speaking at the 2025 Summer Golf Classic was my way of sharing my story, raising awareness, and honoring the journey so many of us face in silence. I choose to support The Bee Foundation so that more survivors, patients, and families feel seen, supported, and empowered. This is my legacy — to live fully, to lead with courage, and to help others know they don’t have to walk this path alone.