Diamondbacks Foundation Continues Fight Against Glioblastoma With $200K Gift to Ivy Brain Tumor Center

An emotional and inspiring evening shone a spotlight on hope, resilience and the ongoing fight against aggressive brain cancer as the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Diamondbacks Foundation presented a $200,000 donation to the Ivy Brain Tumor Center during the team’s Brain Tumor Awareness Day ceremonies.

Leading the presentation was Executive Vice President and General Manager Mike Hazen, joined by two of his sons, John and Sam, as they honored the memory of Nicole Hazen, who died from glioblastoma in 2022.

The donation, matched with support from the Barrow Women’s Board, will benefit the Ivy Brain Tumor Center at Barrow Neurological Institute, a nationally recognized leader in brain tumor research and clinical trials focused on accelerating treatments for glioblastoma and other aggressive brain cancers.

The evening served as both a tribute and a reminder of the importance of continued investment in research and patient support. Through the Nicole Hazen Fund for Hope, Hazen and the Diamondbacks Foundation have contributed more than $2 million toward research, treatment and clinical trials in Nicole’s honor.

The Ivy Brain Tumor Center has become a critical force in advancing innovative therapies for patients facing devastating diagnoses. Its work centers on speeding the development of promising treatments while giving patients access to cutting-edge clinical trials that may offer new hope where traditional options are limited.

Several members of the Barrow Women’s Board joined the ceremony, including Erin Gogolak, Nancy Walker, Nancy Hanley Eriksson, Carrie Hall and Amy Cohn, whose support helped make the donation possible.

Also participating was Catherine Ivy, whose late husband, Ben Ivy, lost his battle with glioblastoma in 2005. In the years that followed, Ivy helped establish the Ivy Brain Tumor Center through the Ben & Catherine Ivy Foundation’s commitment to advancing aggressive brain cancer research.

Following the check presentation, Catherine Ivy and Tim Soukup threw the ceremonial first pitches. Soukup’s journey reflects the challenges and possibilities that come with advanced brain tumor treatment.

Diagnosed with a brain tumor in 2018 after suddenly losing his ability to speak, he underwent a successful awake craniotomy under the care of Dr. Nader Sanai and the Ivy Brain Tumor Center team. The surgery saved his life, but Soukup temporarily lost his ability to speak and had to relearn how to walk.

With continued rehabilitation and support through Barrow’s Aphasia Connections program, Soukup has regained much of what was lost and continues pursuing an ambitious personal goal: qualifying for the Boston Marathon.

For many attending Brain Tumor Awareness Day, the event represented more than a ceremonial donation. It is a testament to the power of community, philanthropy and research working together to create hope for patients and families facing one of medicine’s most difficult diagnoses. For more behind this Frontdoor, visit ivybraintumorcenter.org.