A message from Sue...

My Bittersweet Christmas Wish

During the busy and joyful Christmas season of 2022, I noticed my husband struggling with simple tasks like climbing stairs and maintaining his balance. We had an appointment scheduled with a neurologist, but it had been postponed each month since August. Little did I know, Christmas Day would be the last time our family would take a photo together. A few days later, I was awoken by a loud crash in the middle of the night—my husband had fallen. I rushed him to the ER at Rhode Island Hospital, where he underwent brain scans while we waited for 15 hours in a holding area. The results were available on the patient portal, and I could already see signs of brain swelling and a midline shift. More tests followed. In the early hours of New Year's Eve, as my husband lay on a stretcher with only a folding chair for me to sit on, I received the devastating diagnosis in a small, cold room: my beloved husband had glioblastoma, an aggressive and incurable brain cancer.

My Christmas wish is that no family ever has to hear those words. On New Year’s Day, after trading places with our son, I sat in my car and prayed for the doctors we so desperately needed. That’s when Dr. Wong, a leading expert in glioblastoma research, walked in to meet my husband. My husband became part of Dr. Wong’s research, offering hope amid the uncertainty.

This Christmas, my wish is to help fund Dr. Wong's groundbreaking work and contribute to finding a cure for glioblastoma.

Supporting Neuro-Oncology Research Including Glioblastoma at Brown University Health

October 1956 - May 2023

Keith R. Amaral, 66, passed away peacefully on May 1, 2023, in his home surrounded by his loving family. He was the cherished husband and best friend of Susan Amaral for over 40 wonderful years.

Born in Fall River, Keith was the oldest son of the late Delphine and Evelyn Amaral. Keith was raised in Bristol, Rhode Island in a loving and energetic family with his sister and three brothers. Keith attended Bristol Public Schools and was a graduate of Bristol High School.

After graduation from the New England Institute of Technology (NEIT), Keith started his career in mechanical design at McLaughlin Research in Middletown, where he worked his way through the ranks to program manager. His career path led him to the Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC), Aquidneck Management Associates, and finally to SEACORP where he spent the last 15 years, retiring in early 2023. In addition to several NUWC Special Achievement Awards he served on the Mechanical Design/Technical Advisory Committee for NEIT and was a Member of American Society of Tolerancing Engineers. Keith was one of the inventors and major contributors on SEACORP's Patent for "Systems and Methods for Inflator-based Actuation".

Keith will be remembered by his SEACORP colleagues for his professionalism, knowledge, and sense of humor that made it fun to come to work. He will be greatly missed by his SEACORP friends, Scott, Rick, and Steve.

More than anything else, Keith enjoyed spending time with his family, especially his four young grandchildren. His true joy was playing Barbies with his granddaughters and GI Joes and Matchbox cars with his twin grandsons and treating them all to ice cream sandwiches. During the holidays, there was nothing that made him happier than enjoying a glass of wine while his family decorated the Christmas tree. He was always agreeable to making his wife the perfect cup of tea. Keith was especially proud of his two children, Valerie and Brad who brought him so much joy and laughter in everything they did and achieved.

Keith was an avid Red Sox and Patriots fan. In his youth, he played the position of shortstop and later coached a Bristol Little League team to win the playoffs. He had a love for cars and enjoyed restoring them with his brother Jeff in their younger years, a tradition he later continued with his son Brad. Keith enjoyed camping in Myrtle Beach and recently took a trip to Assateague Island. He enjoyed listening to music, especially songs from the 70’s & 80’s, classic vinyl and Kenny G.

Keith will be remembered by his family as a loving husband, father, and grandfather. He was a source of joy, love, and laughter both at family gatherings and in the small moments of everyday life; he will be deeply missed.

Learn more:

AANS: Glioblastoma Multiforme

NIH: About Glioblastoma

Key Clinical Principles in the Management of Glioblastoma

Dr. Wong

In Memory of Keith Amaral supporting Rhode Island Hospital Foundation

In Memory of Keith Amaral

In Memory of Keith Amaral supporting Rhode Island Hospital Foundation