To our friends, supporters and those we haven’t yet met:
Five years ago, our world changed forever when our vibrant, 27 year old cousin, Jenny, suffered a fatal brain aneurysm rupture on Christmas Day. As we struggled to make sense of the senseless, we were shocked that this all too common condition was so under-recognized, under-funded and under-researched. First were the staggering numbers. 1 in 50 people with a brain aneurysm: that is over 31,000 people in the city of Philadelphia.
Then the stories behind them. A 13 year old girl who didn’t wake up for school. A 49 year old mom and TV broadcaster, collapsing on her way back from covering a story. A 62 year old loving husband and father who never came back from work. A 35 year old Jiu-Jitsu instructor collapsing while training, leaving behind a wife and two young boys. Two 27 year old women, a competitive gymnast and a brand-new mom. There are thousands of others. And as Jenny herself would have said, “Stop crying and do something about this!” So we have.
We established The Bee Foundation (a tribute to Jenny’s health business) as a 501(c) (3) non-pro t in May of 2014, and with your help, we have raised almost $1,000,000 toward our mission: to raise awareness of brain aneurysms and to increase funding for preventative research that saves lives. With that money, we’ve funded six grants for ground-breaking research in diagnosis and treatment, funded a health economics brain aneurysm research fellow, lobbied on Capitol Hill for the nation’s first brain aneurysm bill – an ongoing lobbying effort – and collaborated with impacted families and organizations across the nation for fundraising and awareness.
Brain aneurysms can be detected and treated. But we need your help!
Bee Aware – Know the signs: Worst headache of your life. Spread the word.
Bee Courageous – Donate to help fund critically needed research
Bee Inspired – Advocate and fundraise for a loved one with your own event.
The 5th annual Honey Bash Gala is dedicated to everyone who has been touched by this devastating disease. We know that for every individual, family, and community of friends and colleagues affected by a brain aneurysm or rupture, the battle is different. Each dollar and minute that we spend in spreading awareness and preventing this disease is spent in service to them, and with the belief that we can change the outcomes of these battles for the better.
Throughout our journey we have met countless individuals who have showed tremendous strength in turning their struggles into positive change in their own personal way. . .. sharing their stories with the world through various writing mediums, planning unique fundraisers to honor loved ones and creating social media campaigns to spread awareness. We thank all of our advocates for their endless strength and support. Join us for the 5th Annual Honey Bash Gala at the Kimmel Center on September 29 to hear their stories!
Thank you for helping us save lives.
Christine Kondra (Doherty), Co-Founder & Executive Director
Erin Kreszl (Doherty), Co-Founder & Chief Financial Officer
