Christmas with Mom

Mom (business partner) Barbara was a funny lady. She was quick to add a touch of subtle, droll humor to any situation. Mom truly had a "sparkle." And she could always poke fun at herself, too. Smiles and laughter were ever-present!

As some of you know, Barb passed away in late 2010 after a valiant struggle with brain cancer. The holidays are "family time," and although she is no longer with us on earth, she will always be in our hearts.

In 2010, my dad and I established the Barbara Pallos Brain Tumor Research Fund at USC, and our friends and clients will be pleased to learn that Barb's research team at the Keck School of Medicine, led by neurosurgeon/oncologist Dr. Tom Chen, made some important discoveries during 2012.

These findings could lead to less-invasive treatments for brain cancer or even a vaccine in the future. What a blessing for patients and families. This is a notoriously difficult cancer to treat, and many patients survive less a year after diagnosis.

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We are so grateful for your monetary support of this vital research. You may continue to access Barb's fund through this link: https://secure.www.alumniconnections.com/olc/pub/SCA/onlinegiving/showGivingForm.jsp?form_id=129377.

Your gifts will be used solely for brain cancer/stem cell research by Dr. Chen's team. Thank you. :)

A Promise of Heaven

As we celebrate the holidays this year, we are blessed to have such wonderful memories of Mom and the love we shared for 40 years.

One of Barb's favorite hymns was "Once in Royal David's City," which always opens the Christmas Eve service at King's College, Cambridge. She loved this choir and this church service, which we enjoyed together on the radio for more than 20 years. Here are the last two verses of this beautiful hymn, which tells the story of Christ and a promise of Heaven:

"...And our eyes at last shall see Him,
Through His own redeeming love,
For that Child so dear and gentle
Is our Lord in Heav’n above,
And He leads His children on
To the place where He is gone.

Not in that poor lowly stable,
With the oxen standing by,
We shall see Him; but in Heaven,
Set at God’s right hand on high;
Where like stars His children crowned
All in white shall wait around."

Words: Cecil Frances Alexander, 1848; Music: Henry J. Gauntlett, 1849
From the English Hymnal

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A Joyous Holiday Season to All!