Brain cancer research is personal for local restaurateur

Restaurateur Andrew Leckie, right, and friend Austin Satterfield walk as the A-Team.

Local Edmonds restaurant Salt & Iron will host a fundraiser on April 25. The evening’s festivities are a “pre-walk” event to generate interest in brain cancer research and to enlist supporters to join owners Andrew Leckie and Shubert Ho, who will participate in the 10th annual Seattle Brain Cancer Walk.

Personal cause

Andrew Leckie is a survivor of brain cancer. His diagnosis came six years ago, when he had a grand mal seizure. He and his wife had returned from an extended stay in Europe and were home for a family holiday visit. The seizure occurred while watching a sports event on TV. He was loaded into an aid car and admitted to the hospital. The medical exam revealed he had a tumor, located close to speech center in his brain.

Andrew says, “I still have no memory any of the events on that day.”

He feels fortunate that his tumor was discovered while still small in size and operable. In fact surgery came a year later, when a growth spurt signaled it was time to surgically remove the tumor. Here’s the eerie part: He was wide awake and talked up a storm as his surgeon’s team carefully removed the tumor, without damage to his speech center. He joked that at first a nurse held up cue cards, to encourage him to speak, but soon she just sat down. “I was pretty gabby,” he said.

“There is not enough research on brain cancer.” Andrew said. “More attention is needed to focus this disease.” Andrew knew others with cancer of the brain; a close friend had glioblastoma. One of his wife’s friends had a child with brain cancer.

The Brain Cancer Walk in 2016

Six years ago Andrew learned about the Seattle Brain Cancer Walk. Co-founder Kim Hogle wanted the funds raised to stay in Seattle, to benefit folks like her friend’s father, who had a mobility-hindering tumor on the right side of his brain, and her colleague Ruth Ross, who was living with a speech-impeding tumor on the left side.

This is why the route is taken at walking pace, and not a run.

“I really just wanted an event in our community people with brain cancer could come to,” Hogle said. “With brain cancer, you feel so alone because it doesn’t seem like a ton of people have it.”

The walk is also meant for survivors, their families, friends and supporters. Every year the route includes a medley of entertainment that sometimes includes jugglers and singers, team photo opportunities, live music and free food.

Co-founder Dr. Greg Foltz used funds generated by the Seattle Brain Cancer Walk to finance technicians and researchers in the laboratory and to buy reagents — substances for use in chemical analysis — involved in experiments.

Foltz died of pancreatic cancer in June 2013. He was Andrew’s surgeon. His death was a loss to Andrew personally, and to the whole community of brain cancer patients and the research team.

Dr. Charles Cobbs took up the work. “Those investigations are into the viral origin of glioblastoma,” he said. “The center’s research investigates why tumor cells are sensitive to different drugs. Preliminary studies are being conducted on immunotherapy approaches. The walk is a way for patients and families to help support the cause of brain cancer treatment and research.”

A recent article provides additional detail on both the event and research on brain cancer.

Swedish Hospital took over organization of the event in 2009. A committee of community volunteers, which includes friends, family members, survivors and brain cancer patients, has also formed each year to assist with coordination.

The A-Team

Andrew and his friend Austin Satterfield comprise the A Team. Family members and supportive friends walk with them at the event. Individuals in green T-shirts are the team leaders; the buttons on their shirts indicate the number of years they’ve had brain cancer.

Brain cancer has not slowed Andrew down in the least. In 2012, he and his good friend Shubert Ho opened Bar Dojo. In March 2015 they opened Salt & Iron and expanded that space in August of the same year.

Andrew says, “We are all like family. And who knows maybe we are actually related.” He shared the fact that their connection began with their wives, Mira Ho and Ciara Leckie. Their great-grandmothers were best friends when they lived Montenegro. Through the grandmother connection, Mira and Ciara became best friends too and cemented their husbands’ business ventures.

In between restaurant openings and expansions, both couples managed to add daughters to their families.

Salt & Iron scallops will be among the great noshes for the April 25 event.

On April 25, beginning at 5 p.m., activities in the side banquet room at Salt & Iron will be dedicated to raising funds for this year’s Seattle Brain Cancer Walk. They invite everyone to come and join them for cocktails, eats and prizes. Please bring cash for the raffle. No reservations are needed.

Kid care is available at Harbor Square Athletic Club for parents who really want to enjoy themselves without little ones, although they stress kids are more than welcome at the event.

The first of many fundraising events

Andrew said he feels the discovery of the tumor was his “wake-up call.” He’s chosen to have a positive attitude and realizes that he can’t take life for granted.

Tuesday evening’s event is just the start. Philanthropy runs strong in the restaurant team that owns a successful catering business called Shooby Do, and two successful restaurants in Edmonds. The goal is to continue, not only to raise money for brain cancer, but for other causes, maybe up to three each year.

Andrew is open to suggestions for the next event, or as he calls them: “Opportunities to help each other out.” This is how his team runs their restaurant business.

—  BY Kathy Passage, with gratitude for all the amazing individuals I meet, as I cover Restaurant News for My Edmonds News.

  1. We agree with the Flecks. Support our local entrepeneurs.
    Ley’s help them help others along with finding a cure.
    Michael & Katherine Meeks

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