Help Lauren Get Life-Saving Surgery for Rare Condition

I’m Barbara Stuart, raising funds for my 34-year old daughter, Lauren, who’s battling a rare medical condition called Eagle Syndrome.

Four years ago, a snowboarding accident caused a concussion that led to dysautonomia, disrupting her blood pressure and heart rate. Her symptoms escalated: seizure-like episodes, trouble swallowing, difficulty eating leading to

malnutrition, painful facial tics and total loss of speech for days at a time. Chronic headaches, ringing in ears, neck pain, air hunger with feelings of impending doom that make life unbearable. Riding in a car makes things worse and she cannot tolerate heat without passing out.

After extensive testing we discovered that Lauren has Eagle Syndrome further complicated by a connective tissue autoimmune called Ehlers-Danlos. Eagle syndrome is a rare condition where the styloid process at the base of the skull grows too long. Lauren’s are three times their normal length, pressing on blood vessels and nerves. This causes her neurological symptoms, as even holding her head up risks pinching an artery and impairing brain blood flow.

Lauren needs urgent surgery to remove both styloids, a procedure only four U.S. surgeons can perform. All of them are out of state and out of her insurance network. We are raising money to cover the costs that includes the surgeon, surgical center and anesthesia.

Lauren was once vibrant, enjoying mountain biking and snowboarding. Now she fights to survive each day. We’re raising seventy thousand dollars to cover the surgical costs and give her a chance to get her life back. Every donation helps, no matter how small. You can see her struggle in the video we shared and see her 3D scan images (circles around the long styloid processes). Please donate today to help Lauren get this life-saving surgery on Sept 16, and share this campaign with five friends. Your support means everything to our family.

Thank you and may you be blessed for your kindness and generosity.