Community Minded – March 2026
Walk the Fight & Run the Distance
On Feb. 7, the Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center at Barrow Neurological Institute hosted its 20th Annual Walk the Fight & Run the Distance. The event drew around 900 participants and raised $92,000 for the Center’s community outreach and wellness programs, such as exercise classes and educational workshops for families affected by Parkinson’s disease. (Photo courtesy of StartLine Racing)
Cardinals Climb
The inaugural Cardinals Climb on Saturday, Feb. 21 raised $2 million to help provide services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). A portion of these proceeds, which came from 8,000 individual donations, will support Barrow Neurological Foundation. As a cornerstone beneficiary of the Arizona Cardinals Foundation, Barrow is working to address a critical gap in the health care system for people with IDD: the often-fragmented transition from pediatric to adult care. Barrow Chair of Neurology Brad A. Racette, MD, FAAN, was among the 3,500 registered participants and spoke to AZFamily about the cause.
SSBTR Cure-a-Thon
Students Supporting Brain Tumor Research (SSBTR) held its annual Cure-a-Thon on Feb. 28 to support brain cancer research, including the game-changing clinical trials happening at the Ivy Brain Tumor Center at Barrow. The Ivy Center joined the event, helping to raise awareness about brain tumors and share information about promising research avenues. Through efforts like the Cure-A-Thon, SSBTR has raised more than $5 million for brain tumor organizations over the years.
Walk for Epilepsy
On Feb. 28, Barrow joined another year of the Epilepsy Foundation‘s Walk for Epilepsy to raise awareness and funds for the organization’s important programs benefiting the epilepsy community. The “Barrow Brainiacs” raised $1,620 of the event’s $63,384, positioning them as the No. 5 top fundraising team.
Walk MS
The “Barrow Believers” participated in another year of Walk MS, with a presence at both the Tucson event on March 7 and the Phoenix event on March 14. Together, these two walks have raised $259,142 for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, whose work benefits patients at Barrow who are living with multiple sclerosis. Donations are still being accepted.
Miles for Migraine
As a beneficiary of Miles for Migraine, the Lewis Headache Center team joined the walk, run, and relaxation event in Tempe on March 14. The annual event not only raises funds for migraine research and fellowship training programs; it also serves as an opportunity for participants to build connections within the migraine community and raise awareness about headache disorders. Even though the walk and relaxation activities are free and the timed run is offered at a low cost, the event raised more than $3,000. Donations are still being accepted.
Phoenix Heart Walk
Staff from the Petznick Stroke Center and the Barrow Outreach Program attended the Phoenix Heart Walk on March 28. Held by the American Heart Association, the Heart Walk raises awareness and funds for people affected by cardiovascular disease, including stroke. This year’s walk in Phoenix has raised more than $1.5 million and is still accepting donations.