Brain Mechanics: Seed to Sprout
Hello, my name is Matt Jantomaso, Chief Evangelist and co-founder of Brain Mechanics Foundation. I am privileged to have the opportunity to tell you an amazing story about two young men and a mission to change the world. Enter Brain Mechanics, the Foundation of Open Source Healt
Although Brain Mechanics sprouted its roots a little over 4 years ago, the seed was planted just over 25 years ago, on a small college campus called Georgia Southern’ University. Brain Mechanics founders, Karim Delgado and Matt Jantomaso met one another living in a common apartment complex and immediately became best of friends. Destined to be life long brothers, the two parted ways finishing their studies at different universities, but never lost touch. In 2000, they were reunited on a promising project. Matt, partner in a small family trucking business, was looking for a cost effective way to track their assets around the country and Karim, with a brilliant idea to architect a vehicle tracking system using software defined radio technology, Buena Vista Wireless was born. A little over a year into the project, due to funding shortfalls, the project was scratched. Yet the duo were determined not to give up on its promise. Karim, whose brilliant mind is only second to his determination, used networking opportunities to get involved at the University of Georgia in a non-profit initiative (Wireless Athens Group) to research and develop a tool that would allow for areas of the university to have a wireless “cloud” or internet connectivity on cell phones with a similar approach to the vehicle tracking system. The project was a success, to the point that CNN came to the University to interview Karim and his team (http://www.cnn.com/2002/TECH/internet/07/31/wireless.cloud.sidebar/index.html ). Although Karim and Matt were unable to capitalize on these projects, it was an integral part of preparing them for the monumental task they would have ahead with Brain Mechanics.
Fast forward 12 years, Karim now living in Calgary, Alberta and Matt living in Orlando, FL. In 2015, the two would get together for breakfast in Orlando, while Karim was on a visit to see his mother also living in Orlando. Both had transformed from two crazy college kids to a formidable pair seeking to use Wisdom to solve world problems. Over breakfast, they discussed many things, about many of the problems taking hold in the world. They discussed ideas on how to cultivate change, how to cultivate wisdom in a world plagued with problems, plagued with ignorance. Then, as if it just made sense, Karim looked Matt in the eyes and said, “why don’t WE cultivate that change, why don’t WE cultivate that wisdom! “ Matt smiled, without missing a beat, and said, “Why don’t we!!” , and Brain Mechanics was born.
One of the primary topics during that conversation had to do with healthcare, and how often those looking for help, often do not have a true solution to their problem. In 1990, Matt had been diagnosed with an intestinal disorder called Crohn’s disease. This disease drastically altered the lifestyle of this young athlete, whose one time dream was to play baseball for a living. After having gone through numerous pharmaceutical options, he ultimately had to have 3 feet of his diseased small intestine surgically removed. Yet, after surgery, he continued to have issues and battle this very ugly disease. One day in 1997, in what he calls a “Wisdom Moment” , he was sitting in a chair, looking down at a cut that had mostly healed on his arm. Thinking to himself, he wondered, “Well, if my body can heal on the outside by minimizing activity on the spot, why couldn’t it do the same on the inside?” Well, that made absolute sense to him, so he decided to research several fasts, in an effort to not allow food to pass through the intestinal tract, and allow the body to “do its thing”. Finding a fast that seem to make sense, called “The Master Cleanser” he proceeded to follow the protocol. Completing his first fast for 14 days, he felt like an entirely different person. It literally felt as if a reset button had been pushed and now 22 years later, he is still Crohn’s free! A true testament to the healing power of the machine we call our body.
Karim, also having a defining moment, as his father had recently lost his battle with Alzheimer’s. A brilliant doctor, a loving father and husband, a caring human, an altruistic soul and most of all Karim’s idol in life, Dr. Delgado had done everything right as a human being, but his life was cut short by what healthcare had basically written off as a death sentence. Karim, with every ounce of strength in his soul, the day after the death of his idol….his father, committed his life to eradicating this horrible disease. As he started to do his research on this disease, he realized, just as Matt did, that the human body is an amazing machine, and that the root problem of any issue of the body can be solved by allowing the body the right environment to “do its thing”. Understanding this, Karim, with a super human brain , able to process and disseminate information faster and more efficiently than an entire classroom of MIT physicists, learned and continues to learn everything he can about the human body and how various things interact and engage with it. Using this information, much like little lego blocks, he is able to architect what most would consider impossible. He is able to exponentially exist outside the proverbial “box” and confidently, with his brilliance and unwavering determination, take on this monumental mission.
Since that day in 2015, that little seedling has been fertilized with a brilliant group of synergists, all with the same vision in mind, to cultivate change, to cultivate wisdom and truly become change architects for this world. A collective of social entrepreneurs, academics, medical experts, IT & health technologist, that are focused on producing impactful, open source, clinical, medical & technical solutions to some of the world’s toughest brain health problems. It seems that every time they are in need of a synergist to help fuel the mission, they are very fortunate to have that synergist materialize. Karim and Matt truly believe, that as long as they continue on this path, to truly make this world a better place, the resources and people needed will continue to become part of this mission. Brain Mechanics Foundation has sprouted and is ready to blossom!
Thank you for taking time to read this story. I am so very proud of what we have accomplished so far but I am asking you today, to become a part of our mission. To become our next synergist, and volunteer your skills and talents to help us build this masterpiece. If you have the financial resources, please donate today to help fund our mission. Or, become an Alzheimer’s Angel, and spread your wings to be an advocate and recruit from your network of connections, and spread our message, recruit volunteers and donors, and join us in our grassroots initiative to eradicate Alzheimer’s Disease and many other problems from the face of the Earth.
We can ALL work together to cultivate a new way of living, a new way of healing, a new way of truly making a difference in this world.
Thank you.