Brain Aneurysm Foundation

This page has been created in loving, longing memory of Barbara Blackston, a beautiful, vivacious force of nature, whose life was defined by authenticity, curiosity, generosity, artistry, and a boundless capacity for love. She was someone who showed up fully for the people she loved and encouraged all of us to do the same. Our family was formed and ever shaped by her warmth, her intuition, her humour, and her insistence on embracing life wholeheartedly.

Her sudden loss to a ruptured brain aneurysm in March 2025 was and continues to feel devastating. Like so many families affected by this illness, we were unprepared—not because it is rare, but because it is under-recognized and underfunded, despite affecting millions of people worldwide. Too often, brain aneurysms strike without warning, leaving families grappling not only with grief, but with the knowledge that more awareness, prevention, and research could have saved a life.

In her memory, and on behalf of all who loved her, we are raising funds for the Brain Aneurysm Foundation to help change that reality. The Foundation is a nonprofit organization solely dedicated to reducing the incidence of brain aneurysm ruptures through research, education, support, and awareness.

Contributions made through this page support critical efforts, including:

 - Funding and advancing research that can lead to earlier detection, better treatments, and prevention

 - Providing education and support to patients, survivors, families, and the medical community

 - Increasing public and medical awareness, and advocacy, so fewer aneurysms go undiagnosed or untreated

With greater investment in research, fewer families will have to experience the sudden loss of someone they love. That is the future we hope to help build—one where knowledge replaces uncertainty, and prevention replaces tragedy.

If you are able, we invite you to make a donation by clicking Donate Now (orange box on the right side of this page.) Every contribution, no matter the size, helps move this work forward and honors Barbara in a way that reflects how she lived: with purpose, care, and love for others. If you are unable to donate, please consider sharing this page with others to help spread awareness. Support takes many forms, and all of it matters.

Thank you for being part of this remembrance and for helping us transform loss into action. Your thoughtfulness, generosity, and presence mean more than words can express.

Max, Theodore, Giovanna & Sophie, and our entire family.