My daughter was diagnosed with a brain tumor when she was 7 in 1998. She is now 23 and recently graduated college. I don't know how we would have made this journey without the help and support of the Making Headway Foundation. They give you hope and vision for better days, and when days are bleak they are there to hold your hand and help you bear that weight. They also support research looking to the future for better treatments and cures.
October 1st marked my one-year anniversary at the Making Headway Foundation. When I started, it was clear that this organization had a remarkable mission and an impressive track record of successful programs and services for families. But over the past year, I have learned that Making Headway is much more than a list of services, research grants, and events. It provides vital resources and a safety net, offers a listening ear and a shoulder to cry on, and shows love and support for every child. As a father, a son, and a brother, I recognize this passion as something that can only be described as “family.” For 20 years, Making Headway has pushed the limits of what services are “necessary” in order to treat children as more than just patients, and overcome social, medical, and psychological challenges. Twenty years ago, we fought for child-life specialists; integrative therapies like art, music, and yoga; and psychological care for the whole family. If the hospital did not provide these services, Making Headway filled in the gap. The success of these programs was clear, and they inspired many other hospitals to make them part of their own standard of care. However, there is much more that needs to be done. I look forward to my second year as Executive Director, overseeing the expansion of to ensure that children diagnosed with a brain or spinal cord tumor receive the specialized resources and care they need to achieve their academic potential.
Inspirational founders, a committed Board, terrific staff, and growing by leaps and bounds! It has been my honor to provide counsel for several years to the founders as they work to build an organization capable of outlasting themselves to support child patients and their families.
Catherine Lepone 07/11/2013
We appreciate your advice, Amy.
Comments ( 1 )
Catherine Lepone 07/27/2015 Thank you so much. Your family re-pays us in many ways and we are grateful to have you as part of the Foundation.