History of Foundation
Kristin Blaszczykiewicz, months away from receiving her driver’s license, got in a car crash that may have saved her life. Kristin, a sophomore from Buffalo, New York, was driving with her mom when she felt her vision blur, her hearing fade, and before she knew what was happening her car had hit a tree. Since 8th grade Kristin had been having episodes like this; her vision would blur, hearing would fade and everything would seem to go into slow motion. She had never told anyone about them because she wasn’t sure what exactly was happening. However after the accident, which she and her mom both walked away unharmed, Kristin told her mom about these episodes. They immediately went to a doctor, and after Kristin’s MRI, she was told she had a brain tumor. While the doctors assured Kristin that the tumor could be removed through surgery, the prospect of brain surgery was certainly a scary thing. Kristin and her family visited the local neurosurgery facility to find out that they did have the necessary equipment to perform her surgery.
Fortunately, the Blaszczykiewicz family were financially able to take her outside of WNY to receive treatment. Kristin’s uncle, Dr. Bill Kuzon, a surgeon at the University of Michigan recommended Dr. Muraszko, also of U-M, for her surgery. The tumor was successfully removed and Kristin has enjoyed a full recovery.
Kristin’s parents, Tom & Debbie Blaszczykiewicz, have started this foundation in hopes that the people of WNY won’t have to travel outside of their community to receive treatment and early detection of life threatening diseases. The first project The Blaszczykiewicz Foundation has taken on is raising funds for the future BNRC (Blaszczykiewicz Neuroimaging Research Center) that will offer patients of Western New York a state-of-the-art neurodiagnostic center that will elevate the level of their medical care. In addition it will establish our community as a Center of Excellence in neuroscience research and education. As a Center of Excellence it will be able to network with national training sites of the American Society of Neuroimaging but will be the “flagship” center within the United States.
Last Year, Tom Blaszczykiewicz, CEO of AccuMED Innovative Technologies, summated Mt. Rainer. With the help of AccuMED and solicited sponsors, he raised $60,000 for Neurosurgery Research. He gave half to the University of Michigan, where is daughter’s surgery was performed, and the other half to DENT Neurology Center of Buffalo, NY. Dr. Vernice Bates and Dr. Laszlo Mechtler, President and Vice-President of DENT have teamed up with the Blaszczykiewicz Foundation to help make the BNRC a reality.