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If one Delaware man’s vision comes true, Americans will become just as familiar with brain tumors as they are with breast cancer, and to get started on that, he’s spearheading Get Your Head in the Game, an awareness campaign in his home state this month.
Chris Grundner heads the Kelly Heinz-Grundner Brain Tumor Foundation, and early this month he kicked off a $100,000 public awareness campaign composed of
GetYourHeadintheGame.org, billboards, bus signs and display advertisement on the floor of the Wilmington Amtrak train station.
“Awareness is critically important because it promotes earlier diagnosis and that, in turn, will lead to better outcomes for patients. In some cases, it may even save someone’s life,” said Grundner, whose 31-year-old wife Kelly died from a brain tumor in 2004. Get Your Head In The Game features a series of head silhouettes and one of six accompanying facts, such as brain tumors are the second leading cancer-related cause of death for children under the age of 20. The campaign will run through November after which its effectiveness will be measured and additional markets will be considered, said Grundner.
Since establishing the foundation in 2005, Grundner has raised more than $650,000 to increase awareness and support people affected by brain tumors. The foundation does not fund research, as most brain tumor-oriented nonprofit organizations do; instead, it is dedicated to awareness.
Grundner’s story was a finalist in Lance Armstrong’s Livestrong Foundation’s recent contest in which he generated more than 46,000 website views nationally. In early September, the Association of Fundraising Professionals Brandywine chapter recognized him with its first New Face in Philanthropy Award.
Grundner left JPMorgan Chase in Wilmington, where he was senior vice president, to start the foundation.
“Twenty-five years ago, we knew very little about breast cancer,” Grundner said.
“In memory of my late wife and best friend Kelly, I’m working to make brain tumors as familiar in the future as breast cancer is today, and this campaign in Delaware is just the start.”
Brain injury conference set Oct. 22
The Brain Injury Association of Delaware’s 18th Annual Conference, titled “Starting Over,” will be Wednesday, Oct. 22, at the Dover Sheraton.
Presentations will include information about pediatric traumatic brain injury, support groups, rehabilitation, neurology, counseling, education, services for veterans and assistive technology.
The two afternoon panel discussions include experts from Delaware state agencies and people living with brain injury, caregivers and healthcare professionals. Continuing education contact hours are available.
For more information, call 800-411-0505 or visit www.biausa.org/Delaware/bia.htm for a registration form.
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