BGF
AMBASSADORS
The work of our ambassadors not only help us to give visibility around the world through their professional fields, but also helps us to attract partners, sponsors and donors.
aRIANA FERNÁNDEZ PALOMO
BGF HONORARY AMBASSADOR AND DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH
Ariana Fernández Palomo holds a PhD in Communication, a degree in Pharmacy, and a DEA in Molecular Biology. With more than two decades of professional experience, she works in dermatological formulation, scientific communication, and healthcare innovation.
She is a researcher and director of projects specializing in cosmetics and well-being. Since 2026, she has served as Honorary Ambassador and Director of Research at Brains Get Famous.
Together with María de Kannon Clè, our President and founder, she is conducting well-being studies aimed at supporting people affected by brain tumors, encouraging international authorities to increase investment worldwide, and promoting further research.
Stephanie Nash
BGF AMBASSADOR
Stephanie Nash has a passion for music, particularly hiphop, reggae and r&b. Stephanie lost her father in a car accident at the age of two and lost her mother to ovarian/cervical cancer in 2006. Stephanie is married and has two sons in university. Steph worked a full-time with the government. At the same time a few of her friends created together an hiphop audio podcast 2014. It was called Supreme Genes Radio. Steph built the website to host the on-line show and reached out to artists requesting interviews. Later on Steph created a new show called Supreme Ultra Radio. This show included audio and video interviews and some are available on her YouTube. Steph reached out to her good friend Sproxx to assist with the technical part of her new show. These interviews were both in-person and on radio.
In early 2014, Steph was asked by her friend Mic Boogie if she wanted to create her own radio show on MaxFM Hip Hop. Steph contacted her good friend Mustafa Shabazz from down south to work on a logo for her show. She and Boogie worked on creating the show theme song. The show launched December 2014 called Underground Express with Steph & Boogie. Steph also won an Ontario Arts Council grant for her beats in 2015, which had some of her favourite Canadian and America hip hop artists on her album. The album, True Grit was set to be finished in 08/2016, however Steph was diagnosed on June 19th, 2016 with Glioblastoma brain cancer. True Grit was released October 13th, 2017. Steph stepped away from all shows in 2016 to focus on her health and family. The average life expectancy for Glioblastoma brain cancer after diagnosis is 14 to 16 months, approximately 1% of patients will survive at least 10 years and the majority will have deficits. Steph recently reached a milestone on June 29th, 2023 celebrating seven years surviving Glioblastoma IDH-wild-type brain cancer. Steph does have some deficits including short term memory loss caused by radiation necrosis. Steph continues to share her journey advocating for a cure and better treatment options Glioblastoma.
ANABEL CLOTET
BGF AMBASSADOR
My name is Anabel, I am 56 years old, and I was born in Lleida. I have a degree in Business Administration and I work in sales.
In November 2024, I was diagnosed with a 3 x 4 cm meningioma in the posterior fossa. On January 9, 2026, I finally had surgery, and the operation was a success.
The day I received the MRI results, my world collapsed. I had the scan done that same afternoon. It was 11:30 p.m. and I already had the results. The only option is to grab your phone and search for that word you hear for the first time, “meningioma,” and try to find out what it is. You look up the location, the size of the tumor, and everything you read seems worse than the previous thing. I was terrified! And after a few days of searching, I found María, read her story, and came across Brains Get Famous. I wrote an email and they replied saying that María would contact me. That same day she called me, and she also called in the days that followed. At that moment, everything changed. Fear turned into hope, and María became an angel to me. Tears turned into laughter, and María became someone closer and closer, a friend I care about deeply and hope to meet in person very soon.
I love authenticity, honesty, my family, my dearest friends, those few people who have always been there for me, laughter, feeling like a child again, good moments—whether spontaneous or planned—trips to nearby or distant places, alone or with company.
I am delighted with this opportunity that life has given me, because the surgery was a success and, so far, my recovery has been good. And I am deeply grateful to the universe, to God, to those who watch over us from above, to those positive energies that surround us and touch us with their magic wand. For allowing this to be just a setback and for allowing me to continue enjoying everything I still have left to live, with optimism and generosity.
I love those people who, without even knowing you, take your hand and do not let go, for days and days, months and months—whatever it takes—with patience and love. They generously invest their time and resources, expecting nothing in return, and they keep their promise: “You are not alone!” They make this whole process easier and become indispensable in your life.
Thank you so much, Maria de Kannon, for everything: for listening to us, for helping us understand what goes on in our minds, how it affects our lives, our mood, and everything in general; for comforting us when we are afraid; for speaking kind words and offering us reassurance. Thank you for providing the help we need so that we can move forward with the best possible spirit and attitude.
Many thanks to Manuel Pedrosa and Christian Brogna for your support and help, for facilitating a diagnosis, reviewing the tests, and evaluating all possible options.
Many thanks to everyone who is part of Brains Get Famous.
ANTONIO DEL REAL
BGF AMBASSADOR
Director, Writer, Producer, Actor.
Antonio del Real has directed seventeen films, four TV series (one of them in co-production with Russia), a play and some documentaries shot in India, Greece, Georgia or Prague. At the beginning of his career, he made spots for television, combining this activity with teaching Production Techniques and Artistic Media in the Autonomous Community of Madrid (Conserjería de Educación y Cultura). He has written more than twenty works in collaboration with other Spanish and Portuguese authors.
He has participated twice (in 1989 and 2001) in the Directors' Fortnight of the Cannes Film Festival, with his films "El río que nos lleva" and "La mujer de mi vida". He has been invited twice by the American Film Institute (Los Angeles) to participate in the European Festival. Some of his films have participated in festivals in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Minneapolis, Montreal, Egypt, Tokyo, France, Italy... He has worked as an actor in more than forty films and in about ten professional plays.
JACINTO RUIZ VALENTÍN
BGF AMBASSADOR
Jacinto Ruiz Valentín is a journalist, as well as a political analyst and painter.
For many years, he worked as a journalist at La Voz de Galicia, where he served as Head of Section for National News, Culture, Special Editions, and Special Publications.
He also coordinated the publications Urbe de Galicia, the evening edition of La Voz de Galicia, the Europa supplement, and the political discussion program Al final del día on Radio Voz.
He has served as a Brains Get Famous ambassador since 2026.
SILVIA CACHAFEIRO
BGF AMBASSADOR
Silvia Cachafeiro is an independent film director. After working in cooperation projects in several Asian countries and being deeply shaped by those experiences, she decided to embrace her passion for film and art.
She moved to Barcelona and trained at the Bande à Part film school, where she received the final diploma award in recognition of her work and trajectory.
Silvia has directed several fiction and documentary short films, which have been officially selected by various festivals.
She currently combines her film and television projects with production and directing work through her own company.
TALI YIFHAR
BGF AMBASSADOR IN SWEDEN
My name is Tali. I was diagnosed with two brain tumors in 2019.
I have one meningioma in the left frontal lobe and another tumor touching the brainstem.
At the moment, the tumors are small and are being monitored regularly.
I live in Uppsala, Sweden.
In 2011, I was battling breast cancer.
I had already suspected breast cancer in 2010. After a whole year of begging my former family doctor for a mammogram and being refused, the tumor was discovered during a routine mammogram a year later. Unfortunately, it had spread to the lymph nodes, which required chemotherapy treatment.
After chemotherapy, while undergoing radiation treatment, I developed mastitis (an infection in the breast). I was mistreated in different ways and neglected by the oncology department. This led to serious complications and severe blood poisoning, and I almost died twice within the same week.
Fighting for Better Healthcare
During my cancer journey and the complications, I realized that many of the problems in the hospital were mostly caused by financial cuts. I saw the pressure that the doctors and nurses worked under due to a lack of staff. It is easy to make mistakes when they are tired and working under stress.
I decided to make my voice heard in my county in order to get our politicians to make the necessary changes, so that other women with breast cancer would never have to suffer as I did!
I used all the available media to tell my story and portray the reality, and I demanded an investigation and changes. During the toughest period of my life, I started a Facebook support group, reaching out to women who were willing to share their own experiences. I spoke to politicians, wrote articles for local newspapers, and was interviewed on television news programs.
Luckily, it helped! An extensive investigation was launched and led to several improvements!
Being able to contribute and see the positive results made me very happy!
Complications
Because of the terrible complications, I have never recovered. I developed severe myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), and my quality of life was gone. I lost my job... Unfortunately, this illness affects my life negatively in many ways. But I am trying to hold on.
Gratitude and caregiving
Being a single mom with an 11-year-old child, we were lucky to receive so much love, support, and practical help from my friends and even from the parents of my child’s friends. They took care of him when I was at my lowest, so he would not have to see me suffering. I am forever thankful for the help I received. I felt very blessed!
Thinking about everything I have been through, and about all the love and support I received, it was very important for me to spread love and help other people who were going through tough times. I wanted to do what I could to support people affected by cancer.
In Sweden, there is a lack of rehabilitation for cancer survivors. Out of the blue, I founded a nonprofit organization that offered cancer patients rehabilitative activities combined with enjoyable experiences. I reached out to good people and companies that were happy to sponsor a good cause.
My organization, Kryssa för livet (We Cruise for Life), collaborated with a shipping company whose pleasure craft offered both lively nightlife and conference facilities. The organization is no longer active due to my condition. Nowadays, I “travel” in an electric wheelchair.
In 2019, I was diagnosed with two brain tumors.
One is in the frontal lobe and the other is near the brainstem, which means living with a great deal of fear and stress. Although I know that the tumors are growing very slowly, the worries are always on my mind... I am learning to live in the moment.
I undergo MRI scans every year. Before every examination, I feel panic. Every time I receive the answer, “The tumors haven’t grown,” I celebrate! It feels as though I have six more safe months!
My Poem
I wrote "On Borrowed Time" after getting to know María de Kannon Clè, the founder of Brains Get Famous. María was very supportive, and we became friends. When she told me about Brains Get Famous, I immediately felt the urge to help in any way I could. The best way to start was to let the Brains Get Famous family use my poem, in which I share my thoughts and a message that I believe other people with brain tumors can also relate to.
Love and thanks to María for your friendship and for the wonderful global work that you are doing!
Visit Tali’s personal blog, where you can learn more about her nonprofit work and other creative projects and interests:
Tali’s Place
https://talisplace.blogspot.com/
You are welcome to follow me on Instagram:
Songs by Tali Yifhar
https://www.instagram.com/songs_by_tali_yifhar/?__pwa=1
My Songs on Music Platforms
Nowadays, I am concentrating on my songwriting. I have been writing poems and songs since childhood, but I never thought about releasing them. It was only after the shock of being diagnosed with brain tumors that I decided to release my songs.
I released my first song in 2023, when I was 63 years old. I am trying to release as many as I can, while I can.
Songs by Tali Yifhar on Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/artist/1iJ6AwSHkc02X2W9LNMs2J?si=7RQ-cSAMRwm-8q9SMcJ64g
Songs by Tali Yifhar are available on all music platforms.
JAVIER LINARES
BGF AMBASSADOR IN MEXICO
Lawyer by the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid.
Master's degree in foreign trade from the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Madrid.
Representative of the government of Murcia in Mexico for 8 years.
Businessman with more than 30 years of presence in the Mexican market.
More than 100 industrial projects developed in Latin America.
Member of the board of directors of the Spanish Chamber of Commerce in Mexico.
ARNAS LAURINAITIS
BGF AMBASSADOR
I am Arnas and I got diagnosed with brain cancer at the age of 26 in June of 2020.
During the covid lockdowns right before my wedding my wife (fiance at the time.) found me passed out from having a grand mal seizure.A couple of days later I awoke from a coma and they told me that I had cancer growing on my brain and, that is what caused me to have a grand mal seizure and that I needed a brain surgery to remove it as soon as possible because it was pushing both of the lobes of my brain together causing me to have seizures. Luckily the brain surgery was a success and they were able to remove most of the brain cancer but, there was still some left.
After the surgery they diagnosed me with stage 3 anaplastic astrocytoma. I had to go through the standard brain cancer treatment which consisted of 6 weeks of chemotherapy everyday of the week and radiation monday through friday. After the 6 weeks I had 4 weeks off from treatment to let my body heal. After those 4 weeks I had my first set of scans and like a miracle all of the cancer was gone!
Even though all of the cancer was gone that did not mean treatment was over. There were still 6 rounds of chemotherapy to go. They called this round of Chemo “maintenance” chemo. After the maintenance chemo I was still free from Cancer and have been for the past 6 years!
Now that my treatment is done and over with, I spend most of my time traveling with my wife, playing guitar and lifting weights.