Advancing Brain Health Stories

Palm Health Foundation marked its eighth annual Train the Brain community health campaign during October 2024 with the unveiling of a significant collaborative initiative. On October 24, 2024, over 95 guests gathered at the Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute at Florida Atlantic University for the launch of The Brain Coast: A Vision for South Florida , an aspiration endorsed by six Palm Beach County brain health and science visionaries who believe that shared vision, determination, science, education, collaboration, and investment can transform a region and change the world. The launch partners included: Palm Health Foundation Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute at Florida Atlantic University Stiles-Nicholson Foundation The Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation and Technology Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience Southeast Florida Behavioral Health Network Many more have committed to advancing this exciting vision with imagination, curiosity, and desire to push the boundaries of brain science and its promise. Guests at the event were eager to learn about the vision for The Brain Coast, which partners compare to President John F. Kennedy's ambitious goals for American space exploration that accelerated Florida's Space Coast. Evening highlights included ambitious initiatives demonstrating The Brain Coast Vision’s promise and the inspirational journeys that led local scientists, including Palm Health Foundation Computational Brain Science and Health Graduate Fellows, to dedicate their lives to advancing treatment for brain disorders as varied as depression, autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, and more. 

Leaders believe shared vision, determination, science, education, collaboration, and investment can transform the South Florida region and change the world.

Palm Health Foundation behavioral health scholarship recipient Beatriz Moreno remembers the first time she was made aware that she was a first-generation student. “I was applying to colleges in my junior year of high school with my high school counselor and I had to answer what level of education my parents had completed,” said the Argentine American scholar. “As I sat there, I realized that neither of my parents had completed a college degree in the United States. I was the eldest child to start that journey.” It was the beginning of her educational pursuit to combine her interest in behavioral health with her passion for helping people from Hispanic cultures.  “Stigma surrounds mental health in the Hispanic community,” she said. “It prevents people from receiving the proper supports, especially when acculturating to a new way of life. And it affects their children.”

The Palm Beach County School District’s Department of Behavioral and Mental Health provided a Summer Institute for our 180 school behavioral health professionals, focusing on how the neuroarts contribute to mental health and well-being.

If anyone saw “Anthony Cannonball” Cannon do his famous dance to Teddy Pendergrass’s “Get Up, Get Down, Get Funky, Get Loose,” at the Fourth Annual Glades Tri-Cities Senior Citizens Prom on June 1, 2024, they would have thought he was back in high school.

Patty’s love for Palm Health Foundation’s innovative approach led her and Peter to open The Cooke Family Fund, a donor advised fund dedicated to brain health, mental health, and the neuroarts.

The inaugural Riviera Beach Youth Explosion on April 6, 2024, at the United House of Prayer drew 225 attendees to a talent extravaganza showcasing the incredible youth singers, dancers, and instrumentalists from Lake Park, Riviera Beach, and West Palm Beach. Over 80 youth aged 5-18 delivered eleven outstanding performances, including choirs, groups, and solo acts to entertain the awe-struck audience and compete for cash prizes ranging from $200 to $500. Judges Edwin Ferguson and Marsha Andrews from the School District of Palm Beach County and Shirley Lanier, Doug Lawson, and Julia Botel of the Riviera Beach City Council chose the winners in song, dance, and instrumental categories among a sea of talent. The winners, all from Riviera Beach and West Palm Beach, were: Singing 1st Place - Seanna Simmons 2nd Place - Nathan Butler 3rd Place - Caleb, Gabriel, and Jokim Washington Honorarium - Grace Rhoden Dance 1st Place – Faith’s Place Jubilant Dancers 2nd Place – RJH Praisers, R.J. Hendley Christian Community School Instrumental 1st Place - Faith's Place Marching Line 2nd Place - Jeremiah Aboderin 3rd Place - Nathaniel Gayle Honorarium - Elijah Jackson Honorarium - Travis Jackson II

Free events during the foundation’s October 2023 Train the Brain campaign demonstrated how creative and expressive art experiences positively impact the brain, body, and behavior, leading to better overall health.

Groundswell of donor support enables foundation to provide nearly $687,000 in scholarships to 73 healthcare professions scholars dedicated to serving Palm Beach County’s diverse communities.