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“ I wanted to reach out to let you know I received my care package yesterday. THANK YOU! Within a few minutes of just glancing through it yesterday I have seen a lot that grabbed me. I am now sitting here reading the packet. I have it ready to carry every where I go.” - Mickey “I received my package yesterday. What a sweet surprise! I needed a mile on my face. trying to stay strong but sometimes I just break down. What a horrible disease this is. I’m afraid we have a tough road ahead of us. My honey is only 61 years old. No one deserves this!!” -Janice “I just got done reading all the information in your care package, next I will pass this along to my mom and my sister! This is great information and is extremely helpful. I’m eagerly starting the book today too! You both are doing such a wonderful job in spreading awareness and I too plan to do the same in the future. I believe my dad is in the late stage, coincidentally his name is Louie (thankfully spelled different than “screwy Lewy”). My mom had a stroke 3 years ago yet she loves to read so having this in writing is going to help her understand. I’m sure your dad was an amazing dad, it shows in all the work you are doing to help others manage this horrible disease! THANK YOU!” - Lisa “Our package arrived today. Thank you so much. It’s such a wonderful thing you are doing. I truly appreciate all of the information. Hopefully my daughters will find it helpful too. We’re all still trying adjust to this new life we have and it’s hard on all of us but arming ourselves with as knowledge as we can will help.” - Carolyn “I received you box of resources. It’s tremendous what you have done and all that you have put together. This book, is the same one that I had been eyeing. I’m thrilled to have it. I’m flying to see my parents tomorrow and taking these items with e to share. Thank you!!” - Candy “Just got my package. It is a lovely presentation. I am grateful to you. I was just planning on printing out the GEMS chart and to m delight you have included it in your folder. I am excited to share this information with my HomeHelpers. Again, thank you.” - Bo “Good Morning! Thank you again for your care package! I finally sat down and got through some and not only is it valuable information but it helped us, my sisters and I, not feel so alone. Thank you for everything!” - Amy “I just received the care package. I cannot thank you enough! I cried just browsing through the contents, it means so much that you and your family care enough to create all of this to help others. Thank you ever so much. What a wonderful thing you are doing!” - Beth
Commitment includes a $10,000 scholarship for neurology or neuro-nursing students and $50,000 for Lewy Body Dementia research through NextGen Precision Health and the future endowed chair in neurology
Executives from the University of Missouri Medical School and Larry Gross Lewy Body Awareness Foundation
Rebecca Gross Highland, Co-Founder, LGLBAF; Amy Gross Greenwood, Co-Founder, LGLBAF; Dr. Ricahrd Barohn, Executive Vice-Chancellor and Dean of the MU Medical School; Dr. Ross Zafonte, Executive Vice Dean (2nd row); Anna Gross; Dr. Joel Shenker, Neurology and Associate Dean for Curriculum; Dr. Brandi French, Chair of Neurology
The Larry Gross Lewy Body Awareness Foundation is making a significant investment in the future of Lewy Body Dementia awareness, treatment, and care through a $60,000 commitment to the University of Missouri.
This gift includes $10,000 to establish a scholarship for students pursuing neurology or neuro-nursing and $50,000 to support research focused specifically on Lewy Body Dementia through MU’s NextGen Precision Health initiative and the future Lewy Body Dementia Chair in Neurology.
The scholarship was created with a clear purpose: to help encourage more students to enter the fields most closely connected to diagnosing, treating, and caring for individuals living with neurological disease.
“Out of our family’s experience came a clear purpose," said Anna Gross, mother of the Foundation's founders, Rebecca and Amy. "Our purpose from this point forward is to help other families navigating Lewy Body Dementia. I’m deeply proud of my daughters for bringing such compassion, strength, and commitment to this work.”
After conversations with MU, the group recognized an important need. Because only a small percentage of medical students choose neurology, the foundation saw an opportunity to help create an incentive for students considering that path. By supporting future neurologists and neuro-nursing professionals, the foundation hopes to strengthen the pipeline of experts equipped to care for families facing complex conditions like Lewy Body Dementia.
This investment reflects the heart of the foundation’s mission: turning personal loss into meaningful action that improves the future for others.
As shared during the presentation, this effort is about more than funding. It is about transforming tragedy into purpose — creating momentum for better understanding, better care, and better outcomes for families affected by Lewy Body Dementia.
The $50,000 research commitment will help move forward critical work focused specifically on Lewy Body Dementia, including support through MU’s NextGen Precision Health initiative and the development of the future Lewy Body Dementia Chair in Neurology. Together, these efforts are designed to deepen understanding of the disease, improve treatment approaches, and elevate education for patients, caregivers, medical professionals, and researchers.
"So this trio is tackling how do we fix the disease, how do we inform patients of the disease, and how do we train the next generation of people so that they can take care of Lewy body disease? That is big." -Dr. Richard Barohn, University of Missouri Executive Director of Health Affairs
In remarks shared during the presentation, Dr. Barohn captured the deeper meaning behind the gift: that out of sadness can come something far greater — a renewed commitment to finding the cause of Lewy Body Dementia, improving treatment, informing families, and training the next generation.
For the Larry Gross Lewy Body Awareness Foundation, this gift is a powerful step toward that vision. It honors Larry Gross by investing in the people and research that can bring greater hope to families in the future.
Through scholarship support and targeted research funding, the foundation is helping ensure that Lewy Body Dementia receives the attention, expertise, and urgency it deserves.