COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Natalie Gray Foundation for Pediatric Brain Tumors announced today it has raised $500,000 to fund pediatric brain tumor research. The foundation’s 18-year-old founder, Natalie Gray, made the announcement at the 4th annual “Nat Gala” fundraiser at Swan Lake Events Center in Powell.
“We are incredibly proud to share that we have reached our goal of raising a half million dollars, which is going directly to fund life-saving research to help kids and teens battling brain cancer,” Natalie shared.
Natalie started the foundation after she was diagnosed with an inoperable, malignant brain tumor in 2021 at age 13. During her initial treatment she learned that pediatric brain tumors are the most common cancer in children and teens in the United States, the leading cause of death for those ages 0-19, and one of the lowest-funded areas of medical research.
“We started this foundation to give hope to kids and families like Natalie’s who are faced with a terrifying diagnosis and thanks to the generosity of our community, we’ve hit this amazing goal,” said Melanie Farkas, member of the Foundation’s Board of the Directors and Nat Gala Event Chair. “We’re excited to set our sights on what’s next and continue making a difference for kids here in central Ohio and all over the world.”
The Foundation currently directs its funds to the CONNECT Consortium, a global consortium of more than 30 institutions developing and testing treatments for pediatric brain tumors. The founding director of CONNECT, Dr. Maryam Fouladi, is a pediatric neuro-oncologist, co-executive director of the pediatric neuro-oncology program at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, and a critical member of Natalie’s care team.
To donate to this great cause and find more information about the Natalie Gray Foundation, go to nataliegrayfoundation.org.
About The Natalie Gray Foundation:
The Natalie Gray Foundation for Pediatric Brain Tumors is an IRS 501(c)(3) charitable organization based in Powell, OH. The Foundation’s stated purpose is to “provide support and inspire hope for children diagnosed with brain tumors through resources, research, and funding.”