Brain Support Network (BSN) is a non-profit organization dedicated to the well-being of those challenged by neurodegenerative disorders. We were founded in California in 2004 by a group of caregivers, each of whom was dealing with the illness of a family member. Today, BSN is comprised of a board of directors, several part-time employees, dozens of volunteers, and hundreds of support group members. Learn about our history here.
We embrace three missions in varying scopes:
| Mission | Geographical Scope | Disorder Scope |
|---|---|---|
| Brain Donation | USA | All Neurological Disorders |
| Education | Worldwide | Four Atypical Parkinsonisms |
| Support Group | Northern California, USA | Four Atypical Parkinsonisms |
BSN’s first mission is to make brain donation easy for families (in the United States and Canada) that want to donate a loved one’s brain. Research for a cure of any neurological disorder needs brain tissue from persons with that disorder.
Within the broad landscape of neurological disorders, BSN maintains a special focus on the four atypical parkinsonism disorders:
- Lewy Body Dementia (LBD)
- Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP)
- Multiple System Atrophy (MSA)
- Corticobasal Syndrome / Degeneration (CBS/CBD)
BSN’s second mission is the education of families coping with these four disorders. And our third mission is a Northern California Bay Area support group for caregivers of persons diagnosed with these four disorders.
On this web site you can learn about neurological disorders, learn about brain donation, contact us to join a San Mateo support group meeting, and donate money to support our cause. If you don’t find what you need on our web site, contact us.
Because we are recognized in the United States by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) as a 501(c)(3) non-profit, donations made to BSN are generally deducted from income for purposes of income taxes. Brain Support Network’s IRS-assigned employer identification number (EIN) is 46-0771864.