Heroes of Hope Golf Tournament In Memory of: Brad Kaminsky, Lisa Lewis Gibson, Robert (Bob) Lee Carter, Jr. Also in Remembrance of: Susanne McMillan, Dan McNally, Tony Leonard, Andy Lewis, William Keyser, Diane Wyatt, Gregory Weiss, James McKenzie, Geoff Kornman, Brian Bedell, Joseph Gray, Mary Haller, Johnathan Hicks, Josie Chiang and all our Angels. The Brad Kaminsky Foundation 100% of proceeds from this event fund brain tumor research, last year's tournament raised over $40,000! The Brad Kaminsky Foundation is sponsoring the Seventh Annual "Heroes of Hope" Golf Tournament, Saturday, April 26, 2008 at the Lansdowne Golf Resort. 12:00 PM Lunch. 1:30 pm shotgun start. Silent auction from 3-8pm. Dinner to follow at 7:00 pm. Contact: The Brad Kaminsky Foundation for Brain Tumor Research 20227 Catlett Place Ashburn, VA 20147 (703) 729-9897 E-mail DNL1231@aol.com.

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Cancer Charity Reaches Milestone
The Brad Kaminsky Foundation hosts sixth annual Heroes of Hope Golf Tournament.
By Erika Jacobson Connection Newspapers May 2, 2007

Saturday night was a big night for The Brad Kaminsky Foundation. With the presentation of a $32,000 check, the foundation crossed the quarter of a million mark in money raised for cancer research. "That’s really an amazing thing," Lisa Millar, founder of the foundation, said. "It’s huge." More than 140 golfers came out to the Lansdowne Resort to participate in The Brad Kaminsky Foundation’s sixth annual Heroes of Hope golf tournament Saturday, April 28, to raise money for Duke University’s Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center. Millar’s brother, Brad Kaminsky, died Feb. 10, 2001, from a brain tumor. Millar started the foundation in his memory and is determined to help find a cure for brain cancer. "I felt I needed to bring a change," she said. "And that change is helping to find a cure for this disease. The most deadly cancer for children and men under the age of 39." "Miracles are being performed every day," Jennifer Alves, a 26-year brain cancer survivor who was diagnosed when she was 7 months old, said. "That’s what we are here to support."

MILLAR’S GOAL for the golf tournament was to raise more money than the $30,000 raised in 2006 and she met it easily. "I knew we would be equal or better than that," she said. "It’s always really great. It’s a real gift to have such amazing people." "People really are giving people," Carleigh Ghent, who helped Millar organize this year's event, said. "People are really excited about helping." With each golfer paying $190 to participate, silent auction items ranging from $10 to several hundred and cancer awareness items available for $5 to $15, attendees could give as much or as little as they wished. "It’s just bigger and better every year, MaryJo Robinson, volunteer coordinator for the event, said. "Every year there is a greater response from the community."

Photo by Erika Jacobson/The Connection Taylor Love, 22 months, of Ashburn, is this year's honored patient.

MANY OF THE people in attendance Saturday night were there because of a loved one fighting a brain tumor or who had died from the cancer. Manassas resident Kelly Kuhn was playing for his friend Bob Carte Jr. Robinson became involved because of her own struggle with Hodgkin's disease. Brian Burns, the owner of Visual Ventures Videography, one of the sponsors of the event, was there because of his friend Lisa Lewis-Gibson, who helped start the tournament. "This is a great cause to get involved in," Burns said. "I wanted to help raise money to fund cancer research." "I think this type of event has a lot of personal connection," Robinson said. "Unfortunately." So, surrounded by family, friends and people who have seen their own family and friends affected by brain tumors, Millar and her father, Alan Kaminsky, presented Dr. Gary Archer, assistant research professor at Duke University, with a check for $30,000 Saturday night. The money raised will go into a general fund, to be used where it is needed at the university. "Our grants are being cut," Archer said. "When we fall short, these kinds of funds can fill in with what we need. Clinical research is very expensive." "Duke is doing a lot of great things and it’s up to us to keep that momentum going," Millar said.

THIS YEAR’S EVENT had a special section set up to benefit 22-month-old Taylor Love of Ashburn, who is suffering from neuroblastoma, a cancer that occurs in the sympathetic nervous system. When Taylor was diagnosed, Lara Bryson and Jennifer Hubacker, family friends who designed jewelry, stepped up to create a special bracelet for Taylor. "Instead of just copying one of the breast cancer awareness styles, we wanted to tailor something special to Taylor," Bryson said. According to the women, the bracelets are made with blue sapphire crystals to "match Taylor's eyes," green crystals "to represent hope in renewed life and tranquillity," gold beads "representing awareness of childhood cancers" and crystal beads "to represent God's righteousness and mercy surrounding Taylor." Some bracelets are available with Taylor's name spelled out. Since Taylor’s diagnosis at 18 months old, the two have been selling the bracelets to raise money for Taylor’s treatment. Before the tournament began a table was set up for the two women to sell their bracelets and a section of the silent auction was set aside as "Taylor's Corner." All of the money raised in the special section will go specifically to Taylor’s treatment. "Lisa came up with the idea of having a spot in the silent auction for her," Bryson said. "Which is great."

JUST LIKE the years before, Millar ended the evening by reading those people who had died from brain tumors and who had people playing in their memory. "I promised my brother I would never stop fighting until there was a cure," she said. For more information on The Brad Kaminsky Foundation visit www.tbkf.org or email Lisa Millar at DNL1231@aol.com.

As you all know, our annual Heroes of Hope Golf Tournament coming up on April 28, 2007, and we are raffling off a golf twosome! Raffle tickets are $15, and you will receive a ticket to the Lord and Taylor Spring Benefit Bash, a gift certificate to Sterling Family Chiropractic Center for one check-up and a 20 minute massage, and a chance to win the golf twosome. Drawing for winner will be Wednesday, March 21, 2007. Winner receives two tickets to play golf in the Sixth Annual Heroes of Hope Golf Tournament, with Style Magazine's "Hottest Chef" Jonathan Krinn, from the award winning 2941 Restaurant, and tickets to our awards dinner after the tournament. The winner will also receive dinner for two (tax and gratuity not included) at 2941, Jonathan's restaurant in DC. Call 703-729-9897 or email, DNL1231@aol.com to get your raffle tickets! Cash or check only.

The Brad Kaminsky Foundation for Brain Tumor Research:
Benefitting Brain Tumor Research at Duke's Brain Tumor Center

Proceeds of the tournament are to fund a cure for brain tumors, a deadly disease, now the most deadly of childhood cancers and the leading cause of cancer death in men under 39. All monies raised at this golf tournament will benefit the Brain Tumor Center at Duke and be used strictly for research to find a cure. Last year we raised $40,000

The dinner may be attended by non players as well for $75 per person. In addition, we will host a Silent Auction (early on line bidding available-see the auction page).

Photo of Brad Kaminsky,
a 29-year-old assistant district attorney

Brad Kaminsky:

Kaminsky, a father of two from Bensalem, was diagnosed with brain cancer in July 1999. He learned he had the disease after he suffered a seizure while riding in his car.

Although at the time doctors gave Kaminsky only a few weeks to live, he bounced back and returned to work at the district attorney's office in Doylestown less than a year later. Even as the disease progressed, Kaminsky continued to work from home when he was too ill from radiation treatments to get to the courthouse.

Bucks County Judge Alan Rubenstein, who hired Kaminsky in 1997, said he admired the young lawyer's gusto.

"When I was DA, I always looked for aggressive lawyers who enjoyed wearing the white hat. Brad fulfilled my every expectation," he said.

Rubenstein said Kaminsky's fighting spirit was especially evident when he returned to work after doctors removed a large brain tumor. Although the cancer affected his balance and Kaminsky was forced to walk with a cane, he couldn't wait to get back into court.

On one of his first forays into the courtroom after brain surgery, Kaminsky appeared before Rubenstein in a domestic assault hearing.

"I was pretty nervous, but Brad did fine. Afterwards I saw him outside the courtroom and I hurried over to ask him how he was feeling. Before I got out the words he asked me if I was OK. That was the way he was - upbeat. He never felt sorry for himself."

District Attorney Diane Gibbons echoed Rubenstein's words.

"He was such a hard worker. He would tackle any case we gave him head first. He was a fighter. The whole staff was so thrilled to have a lawyer like him working in the office," Gibbons said. "And he kept that fighting spirit right up until the end. We were all so proud of him."

The Brad Kaminsky Foundation for Brain Tumor Research 20227 Catlett Place Ashburn, VA 20147 (703) 729-9897 E-mail DNL1231@aol.com

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