Thursday, June 25, 2015

Hydrocephalus Association Fundraiser

Although hydrocephalus affects as many people in the U.S. as juvenile diabetes or Down's syndrome, it receives a lot less attention.  Each year the Hydrocephalus Association organizes a fundraising 5K walk in various cities.  I will be walking in this year's walk and hope to raise money to help fund research for a cure.  Hydrocephalus is managed by putting a shunt and catheter into the brain to drain excess cerebral spinal fluid that the brain (for whatever reason) is unable to do for itself.  Shunts were invented in the 1950s, and although the design has improved, the basic premis remains the same.  A shunt is just a management tool for hydrocephalus, not a cure.  That is why we walk every year to raise money for research

I was born with viral meningitis which damaged the meninges surrounding my brain.  These membraines are responsible for regulating the one pint (or so) of  CSF that passes through the brain daily.  Once my meninges were damaged, I developed hydrocephalus.   I had my first shunt put in when I was nine weeks old.  Please help me raise funds to find a cure, not just an improvement to the proverbial "wheel."

As always, if the link doesn't work, please cut and paste it into your browser, it will lead you to my donation page.  Thank you in advance.

https://www.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=1129992&supId=421274808

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