The Walsh Family, Chagrin Falls, OH

2007 Cleveland Black & White Ball Recipient

In 2004, Karen Walsh of Chagrin Falls was diagnosed with a meningioma, a type of brain tumor.  She had surgery, but the doctors were only able to remove half the grapefruit-sized tumor.  In August 2004, she had a second surgery to remove what remained, but following this surgery she developed an e-coli infection in her blood and fell into a coma.  In October 2004, she began waking up and went through several other surgeries and required 24-hour care.  This was mentally, physically, emotionally and financially taxing on Mr. Walsh, her primary caregiver.  He taken the past two years off from work to care for Karen.  Kevin Walsh, their son, was a volunteer for the Cleveland chapter of Betterment.  Both Kevin and his father planned to continue Karen's legacy of community involvement and selflessness that she displayed prior to this difficult situation.