On Sunday, October 28, 2012, Highland Hall Waldorf School students, faculty and parents participated in Los Angeles’ first annual Brain Tumor Walk in Exposition Park, helping to raise over $90,000.
"Our school joined the Brain Tumor Walk to support one of our eighth grade students, Isabel Neidorf, who was diagnosed with ‘Oligo,’ a rare and inoperable brain tumor early in her life," says Bari Borsky, Highland Hall's Director of Community Development. "Isabel's parents have long been advocates for brain tumor research, supporting annual walks sponsored by The National Brain Tumor Society. When we learned there would be an L.A. walk, there was no question about whether we would participate."
Oligodendroglioma, or "Oligo" for short, is a rare tumor in pediatrics. Its cause is undetermined. Many patients are first diagnosed due to the onset of seizures. The tumor and accompanying seizures can cause symptoms such as motor weakness or cognitive decline.
"There just isn't enough attention given to this slow-growing tumor," says Isabel's mother, Rebecca Neidorf. "It was wonderful to see so many familiar faces from school showing up to support this important cause. Between the donations online at Team Isabel and Team Highland Hall on the Brain Tumor Community website, friends of our family and event sponsors, we are grateful to have raised a lot of badly needed funding for this research. And it's not just for Isabel, but for other families in our community who are also fighting for their lives!"
Additional donations are still being accepted and may be made to www.braintumorcommunity.org under Team Highland Hall.