Also known as t. L. C. F. , to raise awareness and to educate others about this deadly disease. Please join me in welcoming todd crawford, lisas husband, who is also the executive director of the Lisa Colagrossi foundation. Todd, its always good to see you. Pleasure. First off, how are you and the kids doing you and the boys . Okay. Theres obviously a huge void in our lives, but were putting the pieces back together very slowly and just trying to adjust to our new normal. Its still hard for us here. I used to see lisa every morning in our morning meeting before the morning show, and its still very difficult to have our morning show without lisa. She was very much a part of our family, as well. As you know, youre all part of the extended family here. Too. But she will always be part of this family, as you will. Thank you. Here at eyewitness news. Now, the nice thing that you did here is you keep her memory alive with the tell us about that. Yes, so we established the Lisa Colagrossi foundation, which we hope will become the Parent Organization for brain aneurysms around the country. And we also want to be the largest private funder of brain aneurysm initiatives in the areas of awareness, education, research, and support. Its not just about lisa. The foundation is about everyone who has ever been affected, died, survived, from a brain aneurysm, or the millions of americans out there today who are Walking Around with a brain aneurysm and dont know it because they havent been diagnosed yet. Its a ticking time bomb. It is. 30,000 to 40,000 people die of brain aneurysms a year . So, the 30,000 to 40,000 figure is the number of ruptures per year, but the numbers are greatly underreported for a couple of reasons. One, because if you take lisas situation, she suffered a brain aneurysm which then led to cardiac arrest. She was brought back after 12 minutes and able to be put on life support. Had she not been brought back, her cause of death would have been marked as Heart Failure and not a brain aneurysm. So the other thing is that brain aneurysms are only detected if, one, you have a rupture and you die from one, like lisa did, or, secondly, you go in for a totally unrelated medical procedure that requires you to have a c. A. T. Scan or m. R. A. And the test results come back and diagnose you with a brain aneurysm. So there are literally millions of americans Walking Around today with a brain aneurysm who have not yet been diagnosed because they just dont know. And for those who dont realize, this is basically a bubble or a weakness in a wall in a blood vessel in the brain . Correct. From the result of the blood flow and pressure against that weakening wall, which eventually causes it to balloon out. And the constant pressure eventually causes it to rupture. So, if you could picture, say, a weakness in the wall of a tire, and you see it bubble out, thats basically what happens to the wall of either an artery or vein or any other tiny blood vessel in the brain . Correct. Okay. So, and in lisas case, this happened in the was it in the brainstem . It was, yes. Which is the worst place. It is. Okay. And the idea here is if caught before the rupture, can it be patched to prevent a rupture . Is that one of the procedures . So it depends on a number of factors and criteria, but they can monitor it. You know, a lot of the majority of brain aneurysms do not rupture. Theyre monitored throughout somebodys lifetime. They go in for biannual checks. But if is caught and it does need treatment, there are two procedures that are really less invasive where they go up through your thigh, into the brain, and insert a coil or a stent much like, you know, an artery in the heart to prevent a heart attack where that cuts off the flow of blood and the pressure pounding against the weakening spot and prevents the brain aneurysm from rupturing. Gotcha. And what is the lucky 7 challenge . So the lucky 7 challenge is the first Major Initiative for the Lisa Colagrossi foundation, and it is the firstever National Fundraising event. Our goal is to raise 7 million over the next seven months. Its a very simple concept. Were asking and making an appeal to everyone in the country, all of your viewing audience, to log on to lisaslegacy7. Org and donate an amount with the number seven in it and then nominate seven other people on social media facebook, twitter, youtube to do the exact same thing. Its that simple, because thats what this disease needs more than anything else. It needs the critical funding so that we can raise awareness across the country, roll out a national psa campaign, which is under development i have a commitment from a very highprofile celebrity whos been directly affected by brain aneurysm themselves, to tape the psa and we need to do critical research. And well be partnering with some of the best medical institutions and physicians around the world in the areas of research. cause if you find out in advance, you could do stuff to prevent a death like your wonderful wife. Right, correct. Theres no need if she knew in advance. If she did have some symptoms that if you knew in advance, maybe we could have done something. And if we had known six months ago what we know today, ken, you know, the result may have been different may. But she would walk through the door twice or three times a week for a period of about five weeks and the first words out of her mouth were, i have the worst headache of my life. And thats how she described it every single time. In fact, medical emergency room doctors write on the chart w. H. O. L. Because everybody describes it the exact same way. Worst headache of your life. Yes, thats one of the risk factors. The others are or, im sorry, one of the signs the others are blurred vision, a very sharp pain behind your eye, and numbness and tingling in the there you go. Your doctor. Just have the checkup maybe theyll do the m. R. I. , and they might be able to spot it. You cant dismiss it. You have to go check. Dont selfdiagnose yourself. Lisa dismissed it, you know, and attributed it to stress or lack of sleep. You cannot do that. You have to go get checked by a medical expert. It is just something you do it right away. Youre not inconveniencing anybody, and youre not blowing anything out of proportion. Correct. cause look at what happened. Heres a professional woman who clearly knew about taking care of herself otherwise, right . Took care of her family. And she decided it was just a headache. She was a picture of health. Nothing more than common head cold. One more time. Tell us the web address. So the Lisa ColagrossiFoundation Website can be found at lisaslegacy7. Org. We ask everybody to hit the donate button, contribute to the lucky 7. Donate an amount with the number seven in it and nominate seven other individuals to do the same thing. 7, 70, whatever you can afford 700, 7,000. Right. There you go. Todd, thank you so much. Always in our family, my friend. Thank you. Were gonna come right back with an Organization Called c. A. R. A. Cara that addresses unequal access to welcome back to new york viewpoint. Im ken rosato. Well, 80 of High School Graduates from highincome families enrolled in college immediately after high school. Only 49 of High School Graduates from lowincome families do the same. One organization takes a novel approach to this problem by increasing the guidance and peer support available in schools, and they are achieving some amazing results. Well, please join me in welcoming janice bloom, cofounder and codirector of College Access research and action also known as c. A. R. A. Erica martinezclose, a former College Coach at new settlement apartments College Access center, and cambel iribuka, a 12thgrader and youth leader at Claremont International high school. Good to have you all here. Well, what support do new york city public high schools provide their students . So there are so many Amazing College counselors and communitybased organizations working inside schools, and they work long hours theyre there till 6 00 at night, they answer texts at 10 00 p. M. But the counselortostudent ratio is 1 to 250, and only 22 of that time is spent on College Access. So, if youve ever gone through the College Access process in the last few years, its not something that a 17 or 18yearold can really do by themselves. But given those numbers, it means that a lot of firstgenerationtoCollege Students dont have the support that they need inside high schools. Yeah, since theyre on their own. Yeah. And unless you have a parent who may have gone through the process, or a sibling, you really are out there on your own. Yeah, and we see those students doing fafsa by themselves, doing the College Application by themselves, and its not something that a 17 or 18yearold really can do all by themselves. And, so, erica, with lowincome families especially, what are the Biggest Challenges that those students face . Well, besides the traditional challenges, like core Academic Skills so, like, the basic math, science, english issues they also face struggles in reference to navigating the bureaucratic hurdles of college so understanding what the Bursar Office is and how it functions, understanding what registrar is, and what you should go to them for, in addition to who should i go to for advisement . So those questions, they dont really have anyone to answer them, especially on the college campus, because they just dont know where to go and who to go to. Its funny you say that. I can actually remember in high purse burse, purse registrar, registration thats what they actually taught us in my senior year in high school, cause otherwise, i wouldve had no idea i went to n. Y. U. Hey, blast at n. Y. U. [ laughter ] but thats the only way i learned. Otherwise, i wouldve had no idea. But somebody who didnt have that, how would you know, right . Youd walk around saying, whats a bursar . And youd have no idea. The guy who wants your check. Thats it. So, now, how is it for you, cambel . Tell me about what the experience was like for you . Its amazing. I mean, i go to an International High school, so most of the people there come with difficulties learning the language already. So i went to speak to a few adults around in my school and asked, you know, how are these people gonna survive in college . Because i was scared, even for myself. I didnt know. And through c. A. R. A. , it was amazing. I see all of my peers really getting engaged into the college process, and its just amazing. Like, just last year, one of my best friends graduated and went to his top college. Its just feels amazing. And thats really you think about it thats the difference of the whole rest of your life. Yes. Theres a difference of your future being dim or your future being absolutely anything you want in the whole world. Exactly. I mean, were talking a major difference there. So how exciting for your friend there, too. And you know that your future i think you know your futures basically anything you want, right . And you must put your head on a pillow at night to feeling quite comfortable knowing how many people youre helping. Well, were working on it. And the thing what c. A. R. A. Does thats different than other College Access organizations is, first of all, we dont add another program on top of theres a lot of programs in new York City Schools we try and leverage the existing relationships that teachers and communitybased organizations have with young people and really add resources to that. And then we train the young people themselves who are in schools, so we recognize the resources and the gifts that they bring to this work and we add to those resources. Become agents of their own future rather than someone else doing that for them. Are there any challenges youve encountered to date so far . Any resistance or challenges in establishing c. A. R. A. . I think people are not sure that young people can really do this work. I feel like when we first bring it up, a lot of people feel like, well, theyre high school seniors, or theyre firstyear College Students. They cant really do this. And then they meet them and they see the network, and it is remarkable how amazed they are and the degree to which they really change their thinking about the role that young people can have in this work. How about yourself, erica . I would say that, as a College Coach and i was a College Coach for two summers now its actually really amazing work, and its allowed me to grow as an individual. I have come to learn im a really awesome mentor. In addition, im a really great advisor. I never knew this prior to working with c. A. R. A. , being trained by them, having conversations with the staff. So not only does it allow the amazing skills that they need in college, but as a coach or youth leader, it allows us to mature and gain some awesome transferable skills. And what about your future . What do you see yourself doing for your future now . For my future, i am actually applying to law school right now. Oh, thats all, huh . [ laughter ] low bar. Im applying to law school, so i dont necessarily know where ill end up, but i do know that ill be dynamic im making a note right now. Five years from now, erica will be back on viewpoint, owner of a law firm. I have no doubts head of a law firm. How about yourself, cambel . Im kind of undecided right now, but i really enjoy engineering. And lots of adults that i talk to recommend it for me. And i think its a field where i feel comfortable. Id like to get up in the morning and do that. So thats where i see myself. Another low achiever. [ laughter ] wow, our future is in good hands here. Thats fantastic. And this is terrific, because people didnt have this in the past and would have fallen through the cracks. Thats the shame for silliness, for ridiculousness, just because they couldnt navigate the system. Yeah, thats right. Its not because they dont have the Academic Skills. So 31 of the highestachieving students in the country who are low income dont go to college at all. So its not because theyre lacking Academic Skills, its because of this navigation issue, and so all of our programs are trying to address that knowledge gap in terms of navigating access to higher education. And this is who is eligible, first of all, to receive this aid this help . So we work inside high schools, and we partner with communitybased organizations, and they choose the young people that they want to have trained. We train those young people, and then they go back and work in those institutions. So it really is for high schools and colleges. We also work in colleges, actually, and train secondyear College Students to help firstyear College Students. So were really expanding the model into college, cause persistence has become a big so its institutions that need to come to us and say that theyre interested in using this Youth Leadership model. Well, institutions, Pay Attention it seems to work pretty darn well. Its brilliant. It sounds fantastic. And just because its only in new york city now, suburbs, you might want to take them out. [ laughter ] great to have you on today, c. A. R. A. Its a Great Organization and looks like we have some wonderful students here with great futures. Good to have you all on, janice, erica, and cambel. Thank you. For information on all of the organizations featured on viewpoint, if you missed part of the show and want to see it at your leisure, do visit us at abc7ny. Com viewpoint. Were coming right back with cool culture, an organization that provides disadvantaged preschoolers with access to and welcome back to new york viewpoint. Im ken rosato. It is never too early to introduce the arts to children. Cool culture is a Nonprofit Organization that provides lowincome preschoolers with access to nearly 100 museums and Cultural Institutions an exposure to the arts that is priceless. With us today are candice anderson, the executive director of cool culture, and cecilia jackson, principal at Pioneer Academy p. S. 307 in queens. It is so good to have you both here today. Its a pleasure to be here. You know, too bad new york is a place that doesnt have too much to offer in terms of culture. Kidding. [ laughter ] i am so glad that this exists for kids here, because this is the epicenter of culture. And its so wonderful that you have this here. What made you start cool culture . You know, cool culture is a nonprofit thats changing the lives of children and families by providing access to Cultural Institutions. And we know that many people travel all over the world to come to museums, botanical gardens, and zoos, but lowincome families simply cant afford them because they arent affordable. And so our goal is to get teachers involved in the parents involved in their kids education through the arts. Yeah, and what was it like for you at a school to be able to have cool culture and be able to show it off with the kids and get the kids involved in the great culture of new york city . Its actually been very, very interesting and rewarding. One of the unique things about our community is that we have families with multiple children. And so to piggyback on what candice said, it become very expensive. And so to be able to offer them that opportunity to visit the Cultural Institution across the city at no cost has been a real reward