Myrna Brind, a Founding Director of Diamond Umbrella, was an impassioned advocate of integrative medicine, and the creator of an inspirational life which came to a close in 2004. During her struggle with a rare form of ovarian cancer she wrote the following: My will to live has shone bright and has been constant with the enduring love and caring I have received from everyone, whether it be my orthodox Jewish friends who go to synagogue every day or those that have said special prayers in their churches or their personal venues. I do know that every day counts whether you are ill or well. I value my life and my friends with an intensity I cannot describe.

Myrna brought people of widely varying interests and backgrounds together, from doctors trained in American medical schools to those who practiced Chinese medicine, from practitioners of energy healing, bodywork, and dousing, to the philanthropists who support integrative approaches to wellness and the arts. In her home town of Philadelphia, the Jefferson-Myrna Brind Center of Integrative Medicine bears her name, and was one of the first complementary medical departments on the East Coast to be established as part of a major teaching hospital.

A woman ahead of her time, Myrna connected with a broad community and gave generously of her time and caring attention to the arts, the healing arts, and to education. Myrna had a rare ability to move graciously in diverse worlds. As a certified teacher of the deaf, she was attuned to unspoken communication, and that sensitivity informed all she did for Diamond Umbrella. She was one of our first and most devoted Women & Spirit participants, and a member of the founding Year of Energy Study group. Her comprehensive knowledge of body-mind study and therapies was invaluable to our early days and carried us through our transformation into a non-profit educational organization in 2001. Myrna participated in a full and respectful way with whatever ventures she believed in and we remember so well that she believed in us.

In Diamond Umbrella’s classes, workshops, or gatherings, Myrna Brind’s spirit is very much alive and present. The Myrna Fund’s continuing financial support of students who need tuition assistance is our tribute to a pioneering lady.

We are grateful to our many contributors to the Myrna Fund, and warmly thank Ira and David Brind for their continuing support over the years. Special appreciation goes as well to Linda and Michael Donovan, Ludmila and Carl Hess, and the Roberts Family Foundation for their leadership gifts.