Research, Education, and Cure Hydro

This picture is my daughter Elyse. She was born 3 and 1/2 months premature. After spending her first 4 months of life struggling in the hospital. One month after coming home from the hospital she woke up screaming, vomiting, and when she opened her eyes all you could see was the whites of her eyes. We rushed her to Upstate Hospital in Syracuse, NY. We received the horrible news she has hydrocephalus and needed emergency brain surgery. They installed a shunt which is a valve between her skin and her skull. There are catheters into her brain and a tube on the other end to drain the cerebral spinal fluid that she can not natural drain. If hydrocephalus is left untreated it is a terminal condition. Shunts relieve the build up of this CSF on the brain but they are not a permanent fix. Elyse's first shunt lasted about one month. The second one lasted 7 months. The third one lasted just over 4 years, the fourth one lasted 8 months. Each time this fails she needs to have emergency brain surgery. Each surgery reduces the risks of dangerous infection , as well as mental and physical side effects. I joined REaCH organization with a few other parents, and people who are living with hydrocephalus. REaCH is 100% voluntary and all the money raised goes towards hydrocephalus. I am asking for your support to help my daughter, my friends , and the million plus people dealing with this condition. Your support is greatly appreciated.