We provide philanthropic support to Barrow Neurological Institute, raising funds for life-saving research, patient care, and medical education.
Phoenix, AZ
Joined May 2009
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Barrow Neurological Foundation retweeted
When George Zapien arrived at #BarrowNeurologicalInstitute in #Phoenix, #Arizona, to have a small portion of his brain surgically removed, he didn’t feel worried or afraid—he felt happy.
George had already spent 30 years living in fear. Behind his positive disposition lurked anxious thoughts about when and where his next #seizure would strike. “Am I going to be at work?” he said. “Am I going to be in church? Am I going to be shopping?”
In the 10 months since undergoing #epilepsysurgery at Barrow, George hasn’t had a single seizure. It’s something he never thought possible when he was experiencing multiple seizures per week.
Read his story at bar.rw/george.
ALT Photo of patient George Zapien in the clinic with his neurosurgeon, Dr. Andrew Yang. Text: \"I'm enjoying this different,w onderful life that Barrow gave me. I'm not feeling that dread and fear of having a seizure. I'm having too much fun with my new life.\" -George Zapien, Barrow Epilepsy Surgery Patient
Barrow Neurological Foundation retweeted
On this #GBMDay, we honor and show support to those impacted by glioblastoma, the most common and most lethal brain cancer in adults. The Ivy Center is dedicated to discovering new treatments for GBM and other incurable brain tumors. Show your support by sharing this post and click on the link below to learn more about how you can get involved!
Learn More: bar.rw/4f9eoBu
Barrow Neurological Foundation retweeted
In honor of #StrokeAwarenessMonth, @KTAR923's Community Spotlight is featuring the Petznick Stroke Center at #BarrowNeurologicalInstitute.
On Monday, KTAR's @AZMorningNews interviewed #PetznickStrokeCenter Interim Director Joyce Lee-Iannotti, MD, FAAN, FASM, and Barrow #vascularneurologist Judea Wiggins, MD. They discussed the signs and risk factors of #stroke as well as the importance of timely treatment after a stroke occurs.
Listen to the interview and read the article at bar.rw/ktarstroke2026.
ALT Dr. Wiggins and Dr. Lee-Iannotti pose for a photo at the radio station
Barrow Neurological Foundation retweeted
This May, for Brain Tumor Awareness Month, double your impact! The @rofoundation will match all donations to the Ivy Brain Tumor Center, up to $100,000. Your support fuels critical research and offers hope to those battling brain cancer.
Founded in memory of Rick Oehme, who lost his battle with glioblastoma, The Rick Oehme Foundation is dedicated to a future free from brain cancer. By supporting this match, you directly contribute to Rick's mission and bring us closer to breakthroughs.
Your tax-deductible donation is more critical than ever. bar.rw/4tVkcVD
Barrow Neurological Foundation retweeted
Today marks the start of Brain Tumor Awareness Month (#BTAM)! 🧠 At the Ivy Brain Tumor Center, we’re committed to advancing science, supporting patients and families, and driving progress toward a cure. Throughout May, let’s unite to raise awareness and improve outcomes for those affected by brain cancer. 💙
Learn how you can get involved: ivybraintumorcenter.org/blog…
#BTAM #cancerawareness #GBM #braintumorawarenessmonth #GTAM2026 #GoGrayInMay
Barrow Neurological Foundation retweeted
Today we join @neurocritical for #WorldComaDay! At Barrow, we are pushing to improve coma care by developing a novel coma exam stimulator to make clinical assessments of consciousness safer and more consistent, replacing the international standard of care which has relied on stimulation with physical pressure, applied by hand.
Led by Brandon Fox, MD, at the Thurston Innovation Center, this device aims to bring objective precision to the bedside. We are proud to have the vital clinical support of the Neurocritical Care Program at Barrow and Ruchira Jha, MD, MSc, for the stimulator's ongoing trials. This work is made possible by @supportbarrow's generous donors, the @FlinnFoundation, and the @PEIphx @AZWearTech Center.
📖 Read about our device in @AZPhysician (p. 44): bar.rw/azphysician-winter25
⚙️ WearTech Center Project: bar.rw/weartech
💙 Support the #CuringComa movement: bar.rw/comaday26
#NeurocriticalCare #MedicalInnovation #BarrowNeurological #WearTech
ALT Dr. Fox shows the neurostimulation device to a research engineer in the Thurston Innovation Center at Barrow.
Barrow Neurological Foundation retweeted
When you donate to @SupportBarrow to support the Ivy Brain Tumor Center, you help fund life-saving research and provide hope to patients every day. 💙
Your 100% tax-deductible gift moves us closer to a cure.
Donate now: bar.rw/4bFlahU
Barrow Neurological Foundation retweeted
Congratulations to the following physicians at #BarrowNeurologicalInstitute, who are among @phoenixmagazine's 2026 Top Docs!
Kerry Knievel, DO - #Neurology
Christina Kwasnica, MD - #PhysicalMedicineandRehabilitation
Bryan Lee, MD - Neurosurgery
Joyce Lee-Iannotti, MD - #SleepMedicine
Matthias Linke, DO - Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
Andrew Little, MD - #Neurosurgery
Marc McLawhorn, MD - #Anesthesiology
Rory Murphy, MD - Neurosurgery
Griffin Santarelli, MD - #Otolaryngology
Laura Snyder, MD - Neurosurgery
Each year, the magazine invites all physicians in the #Phoenix metropolitan area to nominate their peers across dozens of specialties.
Dr. Kwasnica, a Top Doc of more than 20 years, made the 2026 list in PM&R for both pediatrics and adults. In the pediatric PM&R category, she earned more votes than any other doctor. Drs. @RoryMurphy16 and Lee-Iannotti were also top vote-getters in their categories, and Drs. Knievel and Santarelli were selected by the magazine for Q&A features.
Additionally, PHOENIX magazine polled its Instagram audience to determine Arizona's most famous celebrity doctor of all time. Of the four contenders, Barrow Emeritus Chair of Neurosurgery Robert F. Spetzler, MD, was declared the winner with 54% of the vote.
Finally, the magazine gave a special shoutout to Terry Fife, MD, in its "in absentia" section. Dr. Fife, who established the Neuro-Otology Program at Barrow, recently retired after more than 30 years on our faculty. He was named a PHOENIX Top Doc in 1996, 1998, 2002, 2004, 2015, and 2016.
View the full 2026 list and read the Q&As at bar.rw/phxtopdocs26.
ALT Portraits of the Barrow Top Docs winners on a desert background
Barrow Neurological Foundation retweeted
From pain to the fairway, Nicholas' #endoscopicspinesurgery success story embodies the comeback spirit we love to see at the @wmphoenixopen. Read the story here: bar.rw/nicholas
#WMPO #WasteManagementPhoenixOpen #ThePeoplesOpen #BarrowNeurologicalInstitute
ALT Barrow spine patient swinging for the ball on a golf course with a text quote \"'I literally went from being in excruciating pain to having zero pain post-surgery. It\u2019s just amazing. I feel like I\u2019ve had no back surgery.' -Nicholas Aretakis, Barrow Endoscopic Spine Surgery Patient\"
Barrow Neurological Foundation retweeted
At Barrow Grand Ball 2026, the Women’s Board raised a whopping $11.4M to support neurosciences research @BarrowNeuro. These amazing ladies & the generosity, belief, altruism of supporters in the community are our engines of philanthropy. Thank you again for this incredible gift!
Barrow Neurological Foundation retweeted
ALT Barrow Emeritus Professor of Neurosurgery Dr. Stephen Papadopoulos gives Dr. Sanjay Gupta a tour of the Barrow Emergency Stroke Treatment Unit
ALT Dr. Sanjay Gupta poses for a photo in the Goldman Auditorium at Barrow with President and CEO Dr. Michael T. Lawton and emeritus faculty, Dr. Stephen Papadopoulos and Dr. Robert F. Spetzler.
ALT Dr. Sanjay Gupta and Barrow President and CEO Dr. Michael T. Lawton share a relaxed moment, laughing in Dr. Lawton's office.
Barrow Neurological Foundation retweeted
Thank you to @drsanjaygupta for visiting Barrow last week to speak at #GrandRounds, during which he shared insights from his career in medicine & journalism in a candid conversation w/ @mtlawton. Dr. Gupta also took the time to meet w/ our #neurosurgeryresidents & tour our campus
ALT Dr. Sanjay Gupta poses for a photo in the lobby of the Barrow Neuroplex with Barrow President and CEO Dr. Michael T. Lawton. They are smiling at the camera and wearing business formal attire.
ALT Dr. Sanjay Gupta and Barrow President and CEO Dr. Michael T. Lawton speak in front of a packed audience in the Goldman Auditorium at Barrow.
ALT Dr. Sanjay Gupta smiles during his conversation with Barrow President and CEO Dr. Michael T. Lawton.
Barrow Neurological Foundation retweeted
Earlier this month, the Ivy Brain Tumor Center hosted a live brain surgery viewing event for @SupportBarrow donors, members of the Barrow Women’s Board, and the Foundation’s Board of Trustees. Dr. Stephen Papadopoulos, @BarrowNeuro Emeritus Professor of Neurosurgery, provided an introduction, and then attendees had the opportunity to observe a brain tumor being removed by Ivy Center Director Dr. Nader Sanai. The event offered supporters a firsthand view of the dedication and innovation driving progress in brain tumor patient care.
Barrow Neurological Foundation retweeted
We are proud to announce that the Grants Committee of the @SupportBarrow Board of Trustees has approved Shwetal Mehta, PhD, to be named the Ina Levine Chair for Brain Tumor Research. This distinguished chair honors Dr. Mehta's exceptional contributions to the Ivy Brain Tumor Center. We extend our deepest gratitude to the Levine family and Barrow Neurological Foundation for their profound support.
As Deputy Director of the Ivy Center, Dr. Mehta is a recognized leader in translational science for brain tumors and has helped develop an array of early-phase pharmacodynamic- and pharmacokinetic-driven studies for patients with malignant brain tumors. Her expertise in molecular biology and the signaling pathways driving glioma biology is essential to our Phase 0 clinical trials program.
“I am deeply honored and humbled to be the recipient of the Ina Levine Endowed Chair for Brain Tumor Research. This generous support provides the flexibility to stay agile and innovative, enabling us to support our team, invest in bold ideas, and respond quickly to new scientific opportunities that advance brain tumor drug development.” - Shwetal Mehta, PhD
Barrow Neurological Foundation retweeted
Calling all undergrads: Applications for our 2026 Summer #UndergraduateInternship Program are open! This paid internship offers positions in our #neuroscience labs & other areas, such as academic publishing, marketing, philanthropy, & #neurorehab. Apply: bar.rw/undergrads
ALT Photo of an intern working in a lab with oversight from a faculty member. Text: 2026 Undergraduate Intenrship in Neuroscience. Application Period: Dec. 5 - Feb. 6. Internship: June 4 - Aug. 14
Barrow Neurological Foundation retweeted
A new Barrow & @UCalgary study has found which injectable treatments showed the most benefit for #migraine patients & should be routinely offered by emergency departments when feasible. The findings from the study will update the @ahsheadache guidelines: bar.rw/edmigraine.
ALT Dr. Robblee cares for a patient in her clinic
Barrow Neurological Foundation retweeted
The Ivy Center hosted a live brain surgery viewing event for Barrow Neurological Foundation donors, members of the Women’s Board, and the Board of Trustees. Guests received an introduction from Dr. Papadopoulos and observed a brain tumor removal surgery performed by Dr. Sanai. The event offered a unique opportunity for our supporters to see firsthand the dedication and innovation driving progress in brain tumor care.
Barrow Neurological Foundation retweeted
Alex Conley, who has a spinal cord injury, was the 2nd patient to undergo neurosurgery at Barrow to receive @Neuralink's N1 Implant as part of the PRIME Study. Now, also enrolled in CONVOY, Alex is the 1st to use the brain-computer interface (BCI) device to control a robotic arm.
Barrow Neurological Foundation retweeted
We're thrilled to announce that we've expanded and upgraded the #EpilepsyMonitoringUnit (EMU) at Barrow, positioning our unit as one of the largest and most technologically advanced EMUs in the country.
Now housing 16 dedicated beds, the adult EMU at #BarrowNeurologicalInstitute is the largest in the state of #Arizona. Additionally, thanks to our new and unparalleled video wall, we can now monitor up to 48 patients simultaneously. This extends our epilepsy-monitoring services beyond the walls of our EMU, not only to patients across our hospital but virtually anywhere—equipping us to offer tele-EEG services to hospitals without their own EMUs.
Speaking of #EEG—a technology that measures the electrical activity of the brain—we've upgraded that to brand-new, state-of-the-art equipment.
We've also outfitted the rooms in our EMU with dual cameras that can zoom in and out, enabling our team to capture every detail necessary to make the most accurate diagnoses for patients staying on the unit. And thanks the installation of more practical furniture and an alarm-relay system, our nurses can address patients' needs more promptly and seamlessly.
Our physicians and staff are also enjoying a new EEG-reading room with sit-stand desks, monitors of various sizes, and a meeting space.
We're immensely proud of these upgrades, as they strengthen our role as a Level 4 Comprehensive Epilepsy Center. This designation from the National Association of Epilepsy Centers recognizes our ability to offer the highest level of medical and surgical evaluation and treatment of people with complex #epilepsy.
To learn more about the Barrow Epilepsy Center, please visit BarrowNeuro.org/Epilepsy.
ALT Photo of group in front of video wall
ALT Photo of group in front of video wall preparing to cut ribbon
ALT Photo of group with EMU Open House sign
ALT Photo of group underneath EMU balloons
Barrow Neurological Foundation retweeted
Last month, the Ivy Center honored Ray Rodey by naming the 5th floor staff break room after him. Though Ray passed 12 years ago from #GBM, his warmth, positivity, and kindness continue to inspire all who knew him. The event was a heartfelt celebration of his lasting legacy.
