Brain Aneurysm Foundation BAF Changemakers: Barbara DeRiggi and Sarah Kwaitkowski
Barbara (fourth from left, front row) and Sarah (fourth from left, back row) with UPMC staff and volunteers at the 2025 BAF Pittsburgh Event
Bringing the Pittsburgh Brain Aneurysm Community Together
This month, we are proud to recognize two dedicated members of the Brain Aneurysm Foundation community, Barbara DeRiggi and Sarah Kwaitkowski, whose commitment to the Pittsburgh Run/Walk has helped create a place where survivors, families, medical professionals, and supporters can come together.
Although their paths to the brain aneurysm community are different, Barbara and Sarah share a commitment to raising awareness, supporting those affected by brain aneurysms, and strengthening the connections that make the Pittsburgh event so special.
Meet Barbara DeRiggi
Barbara’s connection to the Pittsburgh Run/Walk began in 2018. Shortly after joining the Department of Neurological Surgery as a scheduler for Dr. Robert Friedlander and Dr. Paul Gardner, she volunteered for the Brain Aneurysm 5K Run/Walk.
That first event left a lasting impression.
I was amazed to see the number of people who had brain aneurysms and the support from their families and friends.
Barbara has continued helping with the event every year since, meeting survivors and families and learning more about the life-changing impact brain aneurysms can have.
Over time, the cause also became personal for Barbara. She was recently diagnosed with a small brain aneurysm that is currently being monitored.
Despite the understandable uncertainty that comes with that diagnosis, Barbara continues to look forward to the Pittsburgh event each year and appreciates the donors and participants who return year after year to support the cause.
Meet Sarah Kwaitkowski
Sarah has spent much of her career caring for people affected by brain aneurysms. A nurse since 2009 and nurse practitioner since 2015, she has worked primarily in neurosurgery, supporting patients at many different points in their journeys—from hospitalization and surgery through recovery and life after a rupture.
Caring for our brain aneurysm community has been one of the most rewarding parts of my job.
Sarah first learned about the Brain Aneurysm Foundation in 2018, when she organized a Run for a Reason team for the BAF during the Pittsburgh Marathon. Since then, she has participated in the Pittsburgh Brain Aneurysm 5K approximately five times and has helped organize the event for the past three years.
For Sarah, one of the most meaningful parts of the event is seeing the relationships that have developed among survivors and families.
Seeing the community that they have found in one another and the connection is a reminder of why this event is so special.
Her involvement also extends well beyond the Run/Walk. Through her work and her connection with Pittsburgh’s Brain Aneurysm and AVM support group, Sarah has been able to build lasting relationships with patients and families outside of the clinical setting.
It is a level of patient care where you get to know the whole person, and sometimes the whole family. It’s a really special community and I’m grateful for them every day.
A Shared Commitment to Pittsburgh
For both Barbara and Sarah, the Pittsburgh Run/Walk is about much more than the miles traveled on event day. It is an opportunity to educate the community, raise awareness, support research, and, perhaps most importantly, bring together people whose lives have been touched by brain aneurysms.
Sarah emphasizes how important awareness can be when a rupture occurs:
Knowing the signs of a brain aneurysm rupture (like ‘thunderclap’ headache or worst headache of life) can absolutely save lives. Timely evaluation and treatment are critical in improving patient outcomes.
Her message is simple: “Awareness is key.”
Through their work with the BAF Pittsburgh Run/Walk, Barbara and Sarah are helping turn that awareness into action while creating a welcoming place for survivors, families, friends, and healthcare professionals to connect year after year.