TEN YEARS OF THE DANIELLE FOUNDATION: HONORING DANIELLE, SUPPORTING THE MIGRAINE COMMUNITY

Mar 17

How our family’s mission grew into a national movement supporting students, families, and adults living with migraine.

HONORING DANIELLE’S LEGACY AND RAISING MIGRAINE AWARENESS

This month is especially meaningful for our family and our community as we celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Danielle Byron Henry Migraine Foundation. Milestones like this invite us to pause—to reflect on where we began, how far we have come, and the lives that have been touched along the way. They also challenge us to look forward and imagine what the next chapter of this work can become.

EARLY FOUNDATION WORK

Shortly after we lost Danielle to suicide on March 24, 1999, our family established the Danielle Byron Henry Foundation (now renamed the Henry Family Foundation) to support children, animals, education, and other causes that were important to Danielle. The Foundation continues today and has funded the expansion of a library at the St. Clare Centre for Girls in Kenya; the Shine Her Light Bakery in Lesotho, Africa; a Habitat for Humanity House in Grays Harbor, Washington; Salt Lake City Police Department K-9 Officer Oskar; the Open Door Foundation providing dental care for Ukrainian orphans, and the Utah Food Bank.

Henry Family Foundation supports a library at the St. Clare Centre for Girls in Kenya. — St. Clare Centre for Girls in Kenya

Henry Family Foundation supports the Shine Her Light Bakery in Lesotho, Africa — Shine Her Light Bakery in Lesotho, Africa

During that time, my father, Dan Henry, M.D., transitioned his family practice to headache medicine, with a special emphasis on children and young adults. Through his work—and through our own experiences—we saw firsthand how many people were struggling with migraine and how many gaps existed in care, education, and support.

We realized that we needed to do more.

At the heart of that realization was Danielle. She was vibrant, thoughtful, and deeply loved by our family and friends. Like so many others, she lived with migraine—a condition that is often invisible to those who have never experienced it. For young people, especially, migraine can make school, friendships, and everyday life extraordinarily difficult. Danielle’s experience continues to shape our mission and reminds us why education, understanding, and support for those living with migraine are so important.

Danielle Byron Henry lived with chronic migraine until she died by suicided at 17. — Danielle Byron Henry, 1981-1999

With the encouragement of our dear family and friends, we decided to act. The Danielle Byron Henry Migraine Foundation began on March 24, 2016, with a simple yet powerful mission: to support those living with migraine. What started as a local effort to honor Danielle, with the singular focus of building a comprehensive headache center in Utah, has grown into a multifaceted organization that touches the lives of millions of individuals and families affected by migraine worldwide. We have grown beyond our wildest dreams, and it is all thanks to our dedicated team members, board members, and supporters like you.

In our earliest days, we focused on education and self-care while hosting three Shine Her Light fundraisers. We supported local programs such as Headache School and Restorative Yoga, offering practical tools for people living with chronic pain. These classes were lifelines for individuals searching for ways to manage their symptoms and reclaim parts of their lives. But our reach was limited to local programming until 2020.

Migraine Fundraiser Danielle Foundation — Shine Her Light fundraiser, 2017

THREE FREE MIGRAINE SUPPORT PROGRAMS

One of the core commitments of the Danielle Foundation is to ensure that migraine support and education are accessible to everyone. Today, the Foundation offers three free programs designed to support individuals and families living with migraine: Wellness for Migraine, Migraine Management, and Migraine at School. Together, these programs provide practical tools, education, and community for people navigating life with migraine.

1. WELLNESS FOR MIGRAINE

Today, Wellness for Migraine has grown far beyond what we imagined, from in-person classes to virtual sessions and a robust library of more than 70 on-demand movement and breath work videos, along with nutrition guidance and recipes from The Dizzy Cook. In the last two years, we introduced mindfulness programming designed to support the whole person through our series “28 Days of Joy” and “Cultivating Self-Compassion,” offering simple yet powerful rituals that foster resilience, connection, and healing. Our migraine community can access these resources through our weekly newsletter and YouTube channel.

One participant recently shared:

“Big fan of your Wellness Wednesdays and really appreciate Jess! The videos remind me to pause and take a few minutes for myself, and I like the variety.”

2. MIGRAINE MANAGEMENT

One of our most impactful educational offerings has been our course Migraine Management: Tools for Lasting Relief. Now in its thirteenth iteration, this six-week program has empowered more than 1,000 participants with evidence-based techniques to address the emotional and psychological challenges that often accompany migraine disease. Our advanced courses—autogenic training, EAET, forgiveness, and biofeedback—have gone even further, providing life-changing tools people can use daily and for years to come.One participant reflected:

“Today, I felt a sense of regaining some control over this looming disease again… I am so grateful for the tools you are giving us and how they are tools we can apply simply and easily, even though they are powerful.”

3. MIGRAINE AT SCHOOL

At the heart of everything we do lies our national initiative, Migraine at School. This program has become one of the most meaningful ways we honor Danielle’s legacy. Migraine at School grew from our work on the stigma committee within the migraine community and quickly became central to our mission. What began in 2021 as a series of educational infographics distributed in Utah has grown into a nationwide grassroots effort, reaching more than 2.5 million students in over 5,000 schools. Today, educators and school nurses across the country are using these resources to better recognize, understand, and support students living with migraine.

Migraine at School helps kids and teens with migraine — Kate at a Migraine at School exhibit

NYC PSA: Migraine disease affects 1 in 6 people. — PSA across NYC through our partnership with F.Y.Eye.

Expanding Migraine Education in Schools Nationwide

Through workshops and presentations, we have deepened our work with school nurses, including partnerships with the Utah State Board of Education and national collaborations with the New York City Public School District and Clark County School District—two of the largest school districts in the country—among many others. Again and again, school nurses and educators tell us that these resources help them better understand and support students living with migraine.

I will never forget one moment that happened during a presentation of the Migraine at School program in New York City. At the beginning of the session, I shared Danielle’s story. Then something unexpected happened: every school nurse in the room joined me in saying Danielle’s name out loud. In that moment, I realized Danielle’s story had traveled far beyond our family. Her name was no longer just ours to carry—it had become part of a larger community committed to helping children living with migraine.

Another reminder comes from the individuals and families we hear from every day. One parent recently shared:

"I wanted to thank you for all the great information provided by your organization. My 15-year-old daughter has been struggling with migraines, headaches, depression, anxiety, and even juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. I read Danielle’s story and can see a lot of similarities between the two. The past month or so, she’s really been struggling. The information we found on your site has been extremely helpful. Thank you for taking the time and effort to help so many others. It’s greatly appreciated and has made a difference."

Messages like this remind us that our work is reaching people who truly need it.

THE FUTURE OF MIGRAINE EDUCATION AND SUPPORT

As we reflect on the past ten years, we feel immense gratitude for the community that has supported this work. Donors, team members, volunteers, educators, healthcare providers, partners, and families have all played a role in helping the Danielle Foundation grow into what it is today.

But the work ahead is just as important as the work behind us. As we look forward, our vision is clear: every school in the United States should have access to migraine education and resources, ensuring that no child faces migraine without understanding, support, and care.

At the same time, we will continue expanding Wellness for Migraine and Migraine Management, helping adults affected by migraine find tools, community, and hope.

Ten years ago, we set out to honor Danielle’s memory. Your support has made this work possible, and it continues to fuel the programs, education, and community that so many people rely on.

Because of you, Danielle’s story continues to reach classrooms, families, and communities across the country—and that work will continue for many years to come.