September is Hydrocephalus Awareness Month!
This September, we invite you to be a part of Hydrocephalus Awareness Month. This year's campaign will be dedicated to shining a light on the diverse experiences of those living with hydrocephalus. Our goal is to raise awareness about this condition, educate the public, and highlight the ongoing research efforts that bring us closer to better treatments and, one day, a cure.
Throughout the month, we will be sharing powerful stories from individuals of all ages who live with hydrocephalus, showcasing the many faces of this condition. You’ll also find engaging educational content, myth-busting facts, and updates on the latest research that offer hope for the future.
We encourage our community to get involved by following and sharing our content on social media. Let's make this September a month of impact, education, and hope!
CLICK HERE to read a letter from our President and CEO, Diana Gray.
Join us in Making a Difference
Meet The Faces of Hydrocephalus
We are proud to introduce our campaign: Faces of Strength, Voices of Hope. Through The Faces of Hydrocephalus, we showcase individuals who live with this condition every day. Each face you see represents a unique story of resilience, courage, and hope. From infants to the elderly, these personal stories offer a glimpse into the diverse experiences and challenges that come with living with hydrocephalus.
As you explore these stories, we hope you’ll be inspired by their strength and encouraged to join us in raising awareness. These are not just faces; they are voices advocating for change, understanding, and a brighter future for everyone impacted by hydrocephalus.
SEPTEMBER 20 IS WORLD HYDROCEPHALUS DAY!
On September 20, 2024, the world will come together to observe World Hydrocephalus Day, a day dedicated to raising awareness about hydrocephalus and showing support for individuals living with this complex neurological condition.
1 - Download by right-clicking an image below to save it onto your desktop/phone.
2 - Log on to your favorite social media site, such as Facebook, X or Instagram.
3 - Upload and post the image into your status update including the #HAM2024 hashtag
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Social Media Posts
Facebook Cover
Instagram/Facebook Stories
Use our hydrocephalus facts and stats to educate your friends, family, and social followers. Together, we can build public awareness about this condition!
1. Hydrocephalus is a life-threatening condition that affects more than 1 million Americans.
2. Anyone, at any age, can develop hydrocephalus.
3. One out of every 770 babies will develop hydrocephalus, making it as common as Down’s syndrome and more common than spina bifida or brain tumors.
4. There is no way to prevent hydrocephalus and there is no cure. The only known treatment requires brain surgery.
5. Hydrocephalus is the most common reason for brain surgery in children.
6. The most common surgical treatment for hydrocephalus is the surgical placement of a medical device called a shunt, which has one of the highest failure rates of any medical device on the market.
7. An estimated 50% of shunts in the pediatric population fail within two years of placement and repeated neurosurgical operations are often required.
8. There are approximately 10,000 pediatric hospital admissions for shunt malfunctions each year.
9. Hydrocephalus and a shunt can mean a lifetime of multiple brain surgeries. Dozens of brain surgeries are common and 100 or more is not unheard of.
10. The core technology used to develop the shunt has not changed significantly since the 1950’s.
11. Over 36,000 shunt surgeries are performed each year (one every 15 minutes) and more than half of them represent emergencies.
12. Pediatric hydrocephalus alone accounts for more than 40,000 hospital admissions each year (400,000 hospital days.)
13. The hospital charges for hydrocephalus are over $2 billion per year.
14. Up to half (50%) of infants diagnosed with hydrocephalus will have a learning disability.
15. Since 2000, more than 370,000 U.S. service members have sustained a traumatic brain injury (TBI), one cause of hydrocephalus. It is estimated that 14% of those who suffered a severe TBI could develop hydrocephalus.
16. An estimated 800,000 older Americans are believed to have normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH), but often are misdiagnosed as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, or dementia. When correctly diagnosed and treated, the patient often can return to full functioning!
17. Accurately diagnosing adult hydrocephalus would save Medicare in excess of $184M over five years.
18. The Hydrocephalus Association provides free support and education to individuals, families, and medical professionals dealing with the complex issues of this condition.
19. Since 2009, HA has invested over $15.5 million in research, making it the largest non-profit, non-governmental funder of hydrocephalus research in the U.S. Our grantees have gone on to secure over $83.8 million in additional funding to continue their research.
20. Thanks to HA’s Research Initiative, there are 12 drugs currently being tested that could have a major impact on people living with hydrocephalus.
Fundraise
Facebook makes it easy for you to raise money for HA and invite friends and family to help. 100% of the funds you raise will be delivered to us.
ADVOCATE
Write your Congressional Member to support legislation that is important to our hydrocephalus community.
RESEARCH
Researchers need input from patients in order to ask the right questions and develop treatments that will benefit our entire community.
DONATE
Your gift directly advances the mission of HA to find a cure for hydrocephalus and improve the lives of those impacted by the condition.
