November 2010
Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!
Our Family walked for Larry on 10-10-10 and thanks to your generous donations we raised $2114.00.
August 2010
Dear Family and Friends,
Do you know that more than 8000 babies born this year will face a lifetime with the challenges of hydrocephalus? and that hydrocephalus is the number one reason for brain surgery among children? That anyone, at anytime can be diagnosed with hydrocephalus? At this time there is no prevention and there is no cure.
I was four when my brother Larry was diagnosed with hydrocephalus at 18 months old. The Doctors told my parents that if I had been born with it, just a few years earlier, I would most likely have died from it. Larry was born in 1961 and it was only in 1960 when cerebral shunts were developed.
Larry had his first shunt installed in 1962, it was replaced a year later. There is only a 50% shunt success rate and many children have multiple brain surgeries throughout their lives, repairing and replacing shunts. Children born earlier than Larry, would likely die at a very young age as their heads continued to grow from the pressure of the cerebral fluid.
Larry at age 49, has overcome many odds. Despite his learning disabilities, he graduated from high school and obtained his drivers license. He worked for many years in the kitchen at the Veterans Hospital.
Larry suffers from constant head pain. Imagine if you will going to bed with a headache, waking up with a headache and having a headache all day, every day.
He has tried everything from acupuncture to oxycontin, brain surgery to spinal taps, he has seen specialists at Stanford, UCLA, UCSF, the list goes on and on, and no one has been able to relieve his constant pain.
Larry has the biggest heart of anyone I have ever known. He loves family gatherings, children, animals and playing penny slot machines. (He almost always wins!) He collects coins and always has his lucky stone in his pocket. He likes to play word games on the computer and watch baseball on TV. Larry does all this and more, with head pain.
I can’t mention Larry without mentioning my Mom, his constant companion and advocate. Larry would never have achieved so much without her love and support.
Our Family has recently become involved with The Hydrocephalus Association. They are beginning a new targeted research initiative to learn more about this chronic and challenging condition. That is why our family will be participating in the Hydrocephalus Association Walk 2010 on October 10, 2010 here in Fresno at Woodward Park. We are hoping you will support our participation with a donation.
While visiting the Natural History Museum in Prague last year, I came upon a room full of human skeletons in various forms of deformity. There in the corner were the skeletal remains of a small child with the word hydrocephalus etched into it’s large skull. I was overcome with sadness imagining how horrific life must have been for a child born in a time where there was NO treatment for this condition.
For obvious reasons we feel this is a very worthwhile cause. We know you must get inundated with requests to support many worthwhile causes. If you can send a donation, please click the link below, if you are unable to donate at this time, please send light, love and healing prayers to my brother Larry.
DONATE HERE
Much love,
Melinda Downing
and the Askew Family
Carol, Larry, David and John