Pickleball tournament slated for Jan. 19 and 20 to benefit glioblastoma research

SEMO Chemo Smash Pickleball Tournament — fundraiser for glioblastoma awareness and research — is scheduled for Jan. 19 and 20 at the Cape Girardeau SportsPlex, in honor of U.S. Army veteran Curtis Brown of Jackson.

On April 16, Brown was playing pickleball at the Jackson Civic Center when he experienced memory loss and a seizure, according to information submitted by Lynn Schreiner, friend and previous classmate of Brown’s.

A mass in Brown’s left temporal lobe near the communication center of the brain was discovered and a biopsy revealed Brown had grade 4 glioblastoma, a type of malignant tumor affecting the brain.

The tumor was removed May 3 at a hospital in St. Louis, according to information provided by Schreiner.

In a recent email to the Southeast Missourian, Schreiner said Brown always was in excellent physical shape — before he was rushed to the hospital when the cancer was discovered.

“We are collecting donations, selling T-shirts and raffling tickets for a couple large items, including a beautiful painting of the Emerson Bridge,” she said of the upcoming benefit.

Schreiner said, “The awesome thing about this fundraiser is that Curt has requested 100 percent of the proceeds go towards glioblastoma research at the Washington University School of Medicine (in St. Louis). Research for this is severely lacking in progress.”

More information can be found online at www.pickleballtournaments.com and at the event’s Facebook page. Deadline for registration is Jan. 12.

jhartwig@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3632