Wanna Watch Me Streak?
Streak for Pediatric Stroke is an awareness and fundraising campaign for CHASA--Children's Hemiplegia and Stroke Association. This non-profit organization and its online support group, HemiKids has been a lifeline for me and my family.
I am blogging daily during the Month of May about my 2 year old son and his condition--Hemiplegic Cerebral Palsy due to brain bleed at birth. This "streak" is to raise awareness and funds for CHASA. Your donation (even just a dollar!) will be greatly appreciated. Read more about our story below or on my blog.
How much are 31 blog posts worth?
Some suggestions...
A penny apiece - $1 donation... rounded up :)
10 cents each - $3.10 donation
$1 each - $31 donation
Your donation does not go to me--instead it will allow CHASA to continue programs that support the online community, fund research, publish a children's book, educate others about the signs of early stroke, help fund scholarships for young adults with hemiplegia, connect families, and facilitate research.
Robbie's Story
Robbie was born 11 weeks premature. He spent three months in the hospital while his little body grew and he became capable of breathing, eating, and growing on his own. A few days after he was born, we found out that Robbie had suffered a brain bleed which caused damage to the left side of his brain. Unfortunately this injury wasn't something that could be taken care of during those 3 months in the hospital. In fact, it wasn't until 3 months after he was out of the hospital that we even began to see what the results of the bleed would be.
Hemiplegia
When Robbie was 6 months old we started noticing that he wasn't using his right hand very much. This coincided with the damage that occurred in the left side of his brain. We began to see specialists and therapists, and eventually Robbie was diagnosed with Hemiplegic Cerebral Palsy--basically a paralysis or weakness on one side of the body. Robbie has spent the last couple years learning to use his right side as much as possible. With a lot of hard work he learned to roll, crawl (with one arm, then finally two), stand, and finally even walk (with the help of orthotic braces which he will likely use forever). His hand is now capable of helping him do things, but there is still a lot it cannot do. Something as simple as picking up a cheerio would be extremely difficult for Robbie
CHASA
I found CHASA (Children's Hemiplegia and Stroke Association) one day while searching online for "baby toys for two-handed play" I credit CHASA and their online support group (HemiKids) with giving me the knowledge, support, and strength I have needed to make decisions and advocate for my son.
PEDIATRIC STROKE
We consider ourselves "lucky" that since Robbie's brain bleed was related with his premature birth, we were able to see warning signs and get an early diagnosis. Many children with hemiplegia had undetected strokes in utero or as infants. Did you even know that babies and children could have strokes? Many people don't know, so when children start to show signs of one-sided weakness, it could be months or even a year before they end up at the right doctor who can give them a diagnosis. One of CHASA's goals is to raise awareness so people can receive diagnosis and support earlier.
*In case you are curious about the terminology: Basically, stroke describes a situation where blood flow to the brain is interrupted, whereas brain bleed (what Robbie had) describes blood entering areas of the brain where it shouldn't. In either case, the result is brain injury. The distinction between brain bleed/stroke is very little when it comes to our children, their diagnoses, and their experiences.
Please donate to enable CHASA to raise awareness and support for more families like mine!
Thank you!