DIRECTOR'S NOTE

Dear friends,

Spring is here and we enter this season of growth and rejuvenation with renewed energy and plans for an exciting and necessary revitalization of the Neuroscience Intensive Care Unit made possible by the power of philanthropy.

I'm delighted to share that a $5.25 million gift from the James J. and Joan A. Gardner Family Foundation will fund upgrades to the UC Medical Center's neuroscience floor. The renovation will include new waiting areas, nurses' stations, meeting spaces and the upgrade of the UC Health Neuroscience Intensive Care Unit. You can read more about this remarkable gift and space transformation below.

To continue to build on the vision and legacy that Jim and Joan Gardner began more than 15 years ago is an honor. Their generosity continues to advance and elevate neurological care and research—not just for our region but across the country.

March 30 marks National Doctors' Day and I look forward to celebrating my friends and colleagues at the UC Gardner Neuroscience Institute. It is my honor to serve alongside these talented and dedicated caregivers who save and transform lives, while acting as leaders in their fields and our community. Their outstanding work is amplified by the support of loyal donors and friends like you. Thank you for your continued generosity.

Sincerely,

Joseph Broderick, MD

Director of the UC Gardner Neuroscience Institute

Principal Investigator of National Coordinating Center for NIH StrokeNet

FUELED BY PHILANTHROPY

Gardner Family Foundation gifts $5.25 million to UC Health for neurological care

A gift of $5.25 million from the James J. and Joan A. Gardner Family Foundation will upgrade spaces within UC Health for patients needing the most specialized neurological care.

Renovation of UC Medical Center’s neuroscience floor will include new waiting areas and public spaces for patient families and visitors, as well as upgraded nurse stations and conference spaces for care team consultations. The gift will also support the upgrade of the UC Health Neuroscience Intensive Care Unit (NSICU)—a 20-bed unit that provides advanced, around-the-clock care for critically ill neurological and neurosurgical patients.

“UC Health and our community are fortunate to have the visionary support of the Gardner Family Foundation. Their generosity made the construction of the UC Gardner Neuroscience Institute outpatient facility possible in 2019. And today, their continued support will help improve inpatient care for our community’s most critically ill neurological patients, who need the advanced medical care that only an academic health system like UC Health can provide. We recognize and genuinely appreciate their support,” said Cory Shaw, president & CEO at UC Health.

Planning for these renovations is already underway. Once construction begins, it will take two years to complete.

READ MORE

YOU MAKE IT POSSIBLE

Wiffle ball golf tourney funds innovative Parkinson’s research

Now in its eighth year, Chipping Away at Parkinson's was created by neighbors helping neighbors. The event, which features an improvised 2.5-acre wiffle ball golf course, has raised nearly $200,000 to benefit Parkinson’s research efforts. The 2023 event is set for September 30.

READ MORE

Cincinnati's Best and Top Doctors Awards 2023

Nearly 200 UC Health physicians, including many from the UC Gardner Neuroscience Institute, were recognized as Best Doctors in America (Cincy Magazine) and/or Top Doctors in Cincinnati (Cincinnati Magazine).

SEE THE LIST

UC researcher leads study on stroke treatment for people with disabilities

Strict requirements for clinical research participants often lead to a narrow population of eligible patients. Eva Mistry, MBBS, MSCI, believes this approach has led to a large portion of patients who had a disability before the stroke being overlooked.

Mistry hopes the study, “can then offer tools and data to future researchers and scientists such that they don’t reflexively exclude patients based on their baseline disability from any research, and thereby evidence-based clinical care.”

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PESI gifts $1.25M to study therapy aimed at helping posttraumatic stress

A $1.25 million gift from PESI, one of the world’s largest providers of mental health continuing education, will fund a three-year study on therapies used for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Kate Chard, PhD, UC professor of psychiatry and behavioral neuroscience and director of PTSD programs at the Cincinnati Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, is leading the study involving civilians, first responders, veterans and those on active duty.

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UC expert discusses dementia following Bruce Willis diagnosis

The University of Cincinnati’s Rhonna Shatz, DO, recently joined 55KRC’s Simply Medicine radio show and podcast following the announcement that actor Bruce Willis has been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia.

Support the UC Memory Disorders Center

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Trial finds Parkinson's treatment via pump better at controlling symptoms

Alberto Espay, MD, was the US principal investigator for a trial testing the effectiveness of a drug delivered via pump similar to an insulin pump for those with diabetes. Results found the drug to be more effective at controlling symptoms of Parkinson's disease without causing dyskinesia, the involuntary and uncontrolled movements of the limbs, head or whole body that are common in Parkinson's patients.

READ MORE

A COMMUNITY OF SUPPORT

Waddell Center for MS team with Mike Farrow from MS Warriors and Support Angels

Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month: MS Warriors & Support Angels

Nearly one million people in the US are living with multiple sclerosis (MS), a long-lasting disease of the central nervous system in which the body attacks nerve cells. It has a wide range of intensities from mild disruption of movement or speech to complete loss of ability. There's currently no cure for the disease, but medicines and other treatments can help control the condition and ease some of the symptoms.

Mike Farrow, pictured above far right, was diagnosed with MS in 2007 at age 45. He sought out the Waddell Center for Multiple Sclerosis at the UC Gardner Neuroscience Institute after years of suffering and three serious exacerbations, one of which resulted in a six-week hospital stay. He was enrolled in a clinical trial he describes as "life-saving" and has been a grateful patient of the Waddell Center ever since.

To give back to the caregivers and staff who empowered him to lead a better life, Mike founded the non-profit organization MS Warriors & Support Angels. Mike and his army of supporters raise funds throughout the year for researchers, patient programs and professional education opportunities for staff at the Waddell Center for MS.

Led by physicians with advanced training in MS and neuroimmunology, the Waddell Center for Multiple Sclerosis is a comprehensive center focusing solely on MS care. Our team of experts is not only skilled in diagnosing and managing MS but is at the forefront of ongoing research of its underlying causes.

SUPPORT THE MS WARRIORS & SUPPORT ANGELS FUND

WAYS TO GIVE

Whether you want to honor a care team or support next-generation research, patient services or educational initiatives, we want to make it easy for you to make a difference at UC and UC Health. There are a variety of ways you can give back, and we are excited to work with you in shaping the future of the UC Gardner Neuroscience Institute.

Give Online

Make a one-time gift or set up a recurring donation online. Choose a center to support below or use the designation search to find a specific area within the institute to impact.