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Dana Brown Makes Leadership Gift
The Dana Brown Charitable Trust recently pledged $100,000 to Hope Happens to support collaborative translation research to find cures for neurodegenerative disorders which occur when brain cells and their connections are damaged.
Dana Brown was a well-know personality in St. Louis due in part to his many appearances on television representing Safari brand coffee and sharing his latest adventures while on safari in Africa. Originally from West Virginia, Mr. Brown adopted St. Louis as his home and had a deep affection for the region. To his friends, Brown was best known for his kindness, generosity and spontaneous spirit. Shortly before his death in 1994, he established a grant-making foundation to benefit children in the St. Louis metropolitan area, especially disadvantaged children.
“These funds will improve, and in some cases prolong, the lives of many thousands who will benefit from the new treatments and cures developed by Hope Center scientists,” said David M. Diener, Vice President, U.S. Bank and Co-Trustee of the Dana Brown Charitable Trust. “This would certainly seem to meet the desires of Mr. Brown to enhance the lives of, and expand opportunities for, children, including those who may be minorities or otherwise disadvantaged.”
Each day another 7,650 Americans are diagnosed with a neurodegenerative disorder, including more than 3,100 children. For example, 22 babies are born with Cerebral Palsy, 357 children are diagnosed with epilepsy, and 2,747 children suffer brain injuries each day.
“We are very grateful for this leadership gift from the Dana Brown Foundation,” said board member Jeff Hercules. “It will help us accelerate the pace by which cures are found for neurological disorders that are often thought of as incurable.”
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