Gabriella’s Chiari Struggle

Gabriella Adamo is a fourteen year old girl who attends Averill Park High School. Gabby is kind, easy going, and absolutely hilarious. I met Gabby and her mother Gina when our daughters began  swimming together in 2012.  Gabriella has experienced frequent headaches over the last few years and when they recently worsened, Gabby  was diagnosed with Chiari Malformation. Chiari is a structural defect in which, simply put, part of the brain grows down below the skull. Its symptoms include  headaches, and other neurological symptoms, as well as loss of balance, numbness in arms and legs, caused by the effects on the cerebellum and the restriction of the flow of spinal fluid. Gabby has been hospitalized three times in the last month and is awaiting surgery in the next few weeks which will require a fourth hospitalization. She is in near constant pain, and is experiencing loss of use of her arms and legs.  She cannot care for herself because the numbness in her limbs is causing her to be unable to feed herself at times and she cannot even lift herself from a bed to a wheelchair.  Despite the headaches, Gabby was a typical high school freshman up until a few weeks ago.  She has been a competitive swimmer for many years, competing as the only Averill Park girls’ swim team member this past season. She is also a longtime member of the Uncle Sam Swim Team in Troy. Gabby’s mother, Gina, is a single parent and due to Gabby’s care needs and frequent hospitalizations, she has had to take an unpaid leave from work. Gina has another teenage daughter, as well as a son in college. Gabby’s upcoming surgery will mean more time off. Gina and Gabby could use our help!  

Gina is one of the kindest people I have met and  would do anything to help when needed. I’m asking you to help Gina and Gabby.  There isn’t a great deal of information on Chiari and that makes diagnosis and treatment difficult.  Gina needs answers, which we can’t give her. But what we can help her with is easing some of the financial burden of the unpaid leave necessary for her to care for Gabby. 
All funds raised through this campaign will go to the Adamo family to help ease the financial burden of Gabby’s illness. Any amount you can give will help!!