Smashing Walnuts Foundation Awards $100,000 Grant

The Smashing Walnuts Foundation awarded its first grant Tuesday in a presentation with the Washington Redskins Charitable Foundation.

Smashing Walnuts was founded by young Gabriella Miller and her family after she was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor. A Loudoun County Volunteer of the Year recipient, Gabriella died in October at the age of 10.

The $100,000 grant was awarded to Dr. Javad Nazarian of Children’s National Health System. Nazarian leads research at CNHS on the aggressive, ‘terminal upon diagnosis’ brain tumor that Gabriella was diagnosed with 11 months before her death.

Following her death, the Miller family donated Gabriella’s brain to Nazarian and CNHS to support research efforts on DIPG, according to a Redskins Foundation release.

In December, the Washington Redskins Charitable Foundation held a benefit for the Smashing Walnuts Foundation where Redskins players smashed walnuts in honor and memory of Gabriella.

The grant was presented Tuesday by Ellyn Miller, Gabriella’s mother and Founder and Executive Director of the Smashing Walnuts Foundation. Miller said the grant award was fulfilling Gabriella’s dream.

“Ten months ago, our 10-year-old daughter Gabriella died of childhood brain cancer,” Miller said in a statement. “Her dream was for Smashing Walnuts to raise money to fund research to find a cure.”

Photo: Redskins.com