Bash for Brains 2023

The 10th Annual Bash For Brains Event is September 9, 2023 and hopes to ease caregiving burdens for more Minnesotans.

Roughly one in 10 Minnesotans age 65+ have Alzheimer’s, which will only increase as the population ages. These Minnesotans, and countless others experiencing signs of dementia, rely upon unpaid, family caregivers.

In Minnesota, an estimated 171,000 family caregivers supported people with dementia for a total of 156 million hours valued at $3.4 billion. This is where the Bash for Brains fundraising event wants to close the gap, and has been since the Bash was founded by sisters Leah Huxtable and Eva Thompson in 2013.

“Watching our Mom, Lucy, progress with Alzheimer’s was one of the hardest things we’ve ever endured,” said Leah Huxtable, co-chair of Bash for Brains. “It’s like living life on a nonstop loop; caring for your loved one who is affected, and all of the other responsibilities of life as a working mom (and wife, and sister, and more) continue.”

“A majority of Minnesota caregivers are women who are juggling endless responsibilities,” added Huxtable. “The Bash for Brains Fund mission is to provide financial relief to support the full-time responsibility of caring for a loved one with dementia, and therefore lessen the caregiver burden.”

In 2022, the Bash For Brains awarded Rita Hanson, Bruce Johnson, Robin Morton and Sharon Jones, each a $10,000 grant. These grants allowed their families to bring in professional support for their loved-ones so they could get the rest they needed, have time to take care of other responsibilities, and ultimately become better caregivers themselves.

“After our mom’s Alzheminer’s diagnosis in 2013, and learning this disease is the only leading cause of death in the U.S. with no cure, no treatment and no prevention, we put all our effort into caring for her as best we could,” said Eva Thompson, co-chair of Bash for Brains. “Caregivers report an increase in emotional, financial, and physical difficulties in their lives. By 2018, we seeded the Bash Fund with a mission to provide financial assistance towards professional caregiving services for families dealing with the never ending task of caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s and other Dementias.”

Now celebrating the 10th Anniversary, Bash for Brains hopes to raise $225,000; with half going to the Alzheimer’s Association, and half going to local families for respite care, through the Bash for Brains Fund.

Tickets are on sale now for the Saturday, September 9th event. Attendees will experience live music performances, with food trucks and drinks on-site, access to a silent auction and raffle items valued at over $50,000. VIP upgrades are available giving attendees lounge access, a private bartender with a signature cocktail, and more. Purchase your ticket(s), donate, and learn more about Bash For Brains at bashforbrains.com.