BAF Changemaker: Kristy Hanes-Lewis

Kristy Hanes-Lewis of Kersey, PA, with her wife Kelsey, and their son Dean
In 2015, Kristy’s mom, Aileen Hanes, unexpectedly passed away from a brain aneurysm rupture. By the time she sought medical help, it was too late. Losing her mother so suddenly was devastating, but it motivated Kristy to get involved with the Brain Aneurysm Foundation (BAF) and raise awareness about the often-overlooked warning signs of aneurysms. Through her fundraising efforts and advocacy, Kristy hopes to honor her mother’s memory and help others avoid the same fate.
BAF: Tell us a little about your connection with brain aneurysms.

KHL: My mom, Aileen Hanes, passed away unexpectedly from a brain aneurysm rupture on September 9, 2015. Along with being diagnosed with breast cancer in the spring of 2015, she had also just turned 50 in April and was full of life. After receiving one round of chemo treatments, she experienced the usual and very common side effects of it, which caused her to assume the “worst headache of her life” was just another among the list. On the day of her headache, she dealt with it at home, alone until calling her husband, my dad, to take her to the hospital after it had worsened beyond anything she had experienced in the past. Within the 3-mile drive to the hospital, she began losing consciousness and fell extremely ill. She spent an agonizing two hours in the triage department before being admitted.
Would her outcome have been better had she been rushed into the ER? That’s something we’ll never know the answer to.
I was 20 at the time and away at college about 40 miles from home when my dad called from the hospital, telling me I had to come home and that my mom had a brain tumor. I couldn’t wrap my mind around how she could possibly have a brain tumor when I had just seen her the day before and she had many scans done recently relating to her breast cancer diagnosis. It wasn’t until he explained her symptoms that I realized it was no brain tumor, it was a brain aneurysm rupture.
BAF: When did you first learn about the BAF?

KHL: I first learned of the Brain Aneurysm Foundation several years prior to my mom’s experience. I was in high school when a friend’s mom also lost her life to a rupture. After that, her family began the Bunny Hop 5K, which was held in our small town the day before Easter. I ran in the initial 5K and then a few times after. It was there that I was introduced to brain aneurysms, the warning signs, and what the BAF stands for. It was ultimately because of this event that I knew what was happening with my mom when my dad called.
BAF: Why is it important for you to be an advocate for the BAF community?
KHL: It’s important to be an advocate for the Brain Aneurysm Foundation community because unfortunately, many of those that deserve to be advocated for are no longer with us because of aneurysms. It’s our duty to raise awareness about them so that if and when it happens to someone else, they and their families are able to recognize the warning signs and seek immediate medical attention. In order to best make a financial impact, raising funds to be donated to the BAF is just one way that I have personally taken action.
After involving myself with the already established Bunny Hop, I decided that I didn’t feel fulfilled. I wanted to do something on my own and in dedication to my mom. I partnered with a local nutrition shop and a family friend for my first fundraiser, which yielded a $2,920 donation. We did this fundraiser one more time the following year before I decided once again that it wasn’t fulfilling and I could do better.
In 2015, I started my own business, Kristy’s Krystal Klean Kars. Detailing cars is something I’ve done every day for the last 10 years, but it wasn’t until my wife, Kelsey, suggested that I have a car wash fundraiser. Why hadn’t I thought of this myself?! In just two weeks, I threw our first ever Car Wash Fundraiser together and on a rainy Saturday, we were able to raise and donate a total of $2,747 to the BAF.

It was obvious that this needed to be an annual event and so, I started planning much earlier. I included a bounce house, a food truck, an array of raffle items, a 50/50 drawing and a lemonade/cookie sale in addition to a car wash. I reached out to local businesses to ask for their sponsorship and financial support to help offset costs. On September 8, 2024, we held our 2nd Annual Car Wash Fundraiser and after washing a total of 62 cars, we were able to donate $6,800 to the BAF. My employees, family, and friends are to thank for helping make this day possible. Without them, our success wouldn’t have been nearly what it was.
While we came up short of our $10,000 goal, we were able to create a buzz within the community that made the front page of several local papers. I was able to share my mom’s story along with information about the BAF. At the end of the day, raising awareness and informing others is worth more than any monetary denomination. But, since I’m never satisfied with “good enough,” we WILL reach our goal next year and donate $10,000 and beyond!
If you would like to support Kristy and her mission to raise funds in honor of her mother, please click the button below.