By Rachel Schwartz

Judi Kaufman, a 39-year Beverly Hills resident, has comfortably worn many hats in her lifetime but never anticipated one of them would be as a brain cancer survivor and advocate.

Her successful businesses included Grand Chocolate Pizza Company, and Etiquette International, which taught business etiquette seminars nationwide and developed a similar curriculum for the Beverly Hills Unified School District. Together with her husband, Roy Kaufman, she raised two daughters, Suzy and Jennifer, tested recipes for Bon Appetit magazine, and worked as a volunteer for various community organizations.

It was in 1997 when entrepreneur Kaufman began to experience a series of seizures. The emergency room initially diagnosed it as a stroke and she was instructed to see her physician to have an MRI. This revealed nothing, and her physician concurred with the ER doctor’s diagnosis of stroke.

She left her physician’s office with a deep sense of unease and sought a second opinion one month later at the UCLA Neuro-Oncology department, where she was properly diagnosed with brain cancer, and booked for emergency brain surgery to remove the tumor.

After her first brain cancer surgery, she wanted to do something which could help bring public awareness about this deadly disease, spotlight the strength and courage of brain cancer patients,and raise money for research.

There was no organization which could help restore the selfesteem of brain cancer survivors, whose abilities are often significantly impaired, resulting in profound lifestyle changes, and deep doubts about themselves and their future. She lost some of her own critical functions and had herself experienced tremendous self doubt, in spite of her long list of personal and professional achievements. During discussions with Dr. Tim Cloughesy of the Neuro-Oncology Program at UCLA, Kaufman sought the link between brain cancer survivors, and those who succumbed to the disease.

It was Dr. Cloughesy who had observed that art, in its various forms (drawing, painting,writing, cooking, fashion design, collaging, sculpting or singing), made the difference between life or death for his brain cancer patients. While it may effect certain functions and abilities, the disease does not sap patients’ creativity.

“Before being diagnosed, my passion in art had always been in composing poetry after taking a writing class at UCLA,” Kaufman said. “After experiencing brain cancer, I lost all my inhibitions, became less critical and took up writing again.”

She also joined forces with Dr. Cloughsey in 1997 to form the Art of the Brain devoted to educating persons stricken with brain cancer how to cope with the disease on a day to day basis.

“We held our initial benefit gala in 2000 with the 9th one coming up Oct. 4 at UCLA’s Schoenberg Hall (www.artofthebrain.org),” she stated. “World renowned violinist Daniel Heifetz, who happens to be a Beverly Hills High Schoolalumnus, will perform.” One unprecedented aspect of Art of the Brain is its network of 40 personal “illness mentors” called Brain Buddies who volunteer to assist individuals or families stricken with brain cancer.

When someone requests assistance, a mentor is assigned, who serves as a critical long-term support system element, guiding patients and their families through the various stages of diagnosis, treatment and recovery. They also help them understand the process and anticipate profound life changes they will experience with the goal of providing them with a renewed sense of hope.

Members of the Art of the Brain network are from every walk of life and have one common link–brain cancer. It is art of every variety that keeps the network vibrant and hopeful. Through the years, the group has served as a tool for Kaufman and her team to overcome their own challenges, and feel whole again. “My daughter Jennifer, a Beverly High alumna, just gave birth to my first grandson, Garrett, so I have lots to live for,” exclaimed Kaufman.

For more information on Art of the Brain, call 310-858-7787, or e-mail judi@judikaufman.com.