Barrow Grand Ball

The Women’s Board of the Barrow Neurological Foundation raised a record $8.3 million for Barrow Neurological Institute through the 2020 Barrow Grand Ball. Women’s Board members Tahnia McKeever and Christine Watson co-chaired the Jan.18 black-tie gala at the Arizona Biltmore. White House Design Studio created the beautiful red and slate décor.

Each year for the Grand Ball, the Women’s Board supports a project meaningful to its membership and important to the future of Barrow. In 2020, the Grand Ball committee selected Sonntag Spine Center at Barrow Neurological Institute. Led by Juan S. Uribe, MD, the Sonntag Spine Center accepts the challenge of treating painful and debilitating spine conditions, to reduce back pain and restore mobility. Seven years after the retirement of its namesake, Volker K.H. Sonntag, MD, the center builds on his legacy of providing hope by searching for a cure for paralysis, expanding minimally invasive surgery and improving outcomes from surgery and rehabilitation.

In addition to the Sonntag Spine Center, this year’s funds also support Barrow research in critical areas including Alzheimer’s, aneurysm, brain tumor, headache, Parkinson’s, spinal disorder and stroke.

With a gift through the 2020 Barrow Grand Ball, Jacquie and Bennett Dorrance and the Dorrance Family Foundation will endow the Dorrance Chair of Vascular Neurology. Michael Waters, MD, PhD, director of the Neurovascular Division and Stroke Program, will be named chair. This endowment allows dedicated time for his groundbreaking research to identify genetic mechanisms of stroke and develop drugs to minimize the damage caused by stroke.

A gift from Barbara Anderson will go toward the purchase of a second Barrow Emergency Stroke Treatment Unit to double the coverage of this innovative program bringing the emergency department to a patient’s driveway, providing life-saving care.

Amy Thurston is the 2020 chair of the Women’s Board, which has supported Barrow for 55 years, raising more than $75 million for life-changing initiatives.

PHOTOS BY JARED PLATT, COURTESY WOMEN’S BOARD OF BARROW NEUROLOGICAL FOUNDATION

Betty Van Denburgh and her son, David; Jan and Tom Lewis

Sandy and Michael Hecomovich; Jacquie and Bennett Dorrance

Amy Thurston, Nancy Hanley Eriksson and Ron Eriksson

Earl Petznick, Jr. with Pat and Earl Petznick, Sr.

Cindy and Kelly Mero

Betty Van Denburgh and her son, David; Jan and Tom Lewis

Sonntag Spine Center Donors with Dr. Volker Sonntag: Ann Denk, Tahnia McKeever, Dr. Volker Sonntag, Mary Ellen McKee, Sandy Hecomovich, and Amy Thurston

Mary Jo and Jim Grogan with Amy Thurston

Dionne and Francis Najafi