Kids Have Strokes

Jana’s on her way to the Capitol for the Pediatric Stroke briefing! Gotta’ love her “walking” shoes.

CHASA Board member Jana Smoot White will join other pediatric stroke families in Washington, DC today at a Congressional Briefing to share information with legislators about the needs of our little stroke survivors.  She had a great meeting yesterday and called to let us know the great details. 

So far, this morning, she’s enjoyed breakfast and finalized the remarks for today’s briefing.

CHASA Board member Jana Smoot White will join other pediatric stroke families in Washington, DC tomorrow at a Congressional Briefing to share information with legislators about the needs of our little stroke survivors.  Watch the Kids Have Strokes blog for more details on her journey.

It’s Pediatric Stroke Awareness Month, so Paint the week PURPLE!  Wear Purple all week to show our little stroke survivors how Proud you are of them.  Print copies of the Pediatric Stroke Fact Sheet and leave them at work, school, and anywhere else you go this week.

Childhood stroke occurs as often as childhood brain tumors, but just yesterday I heard the old familiar phrase, “I didn’t know that a baby could have a stroke“.  Research into the causes and treatment of stroke in infants and children is severely underfunded.  Over the last decade, there has been a revolution in stroke care for adults, with the advent of special stroke units and evolving treatments. Similar advances have not been seen in the recognition and treatment of childhood stroke. Further research is needed in perinatal and childhood stroke to identify risk factors and determine the best treatment and prevention.

The Children’s Hemiplegia and Stroke Association (CHASA) is teaming with the National Institute of Health (NIH) and the Child Neurology Society (CNS) to sponsor the 2010 Neurobiology of Disease in Children Symposium. The forum will bring together preeminent pediatric stroke investigators to discuss recent accomplishments and prioritize future directions of infant and childhood stroke research.  CHASA has committed to raise $45,000 to support the NDC 2010 Symposium and we need your help.

CHASA has announced a series of pediatric stroke awareness and fundraising efforts to take place throughout May 2010 as friends and families celebrate Childhood Stroke Awareness Month.  Read more… 

This is a very new site, so check back often for updates on awareness and fundraising ideas as well as volunteer events to be held in your area. If you’d like to host an awareness fundraiser for pediatric stroke, fill out the Childhood Stroke Awareness Event Information Form and we’ll help you get started!  

Meet some of our infant stroke survivors and childhood stroke survivors below. Click on the photos to learn more about the many types of therapy and medical procedures that childhood stroke survivors often endure in hopes of gaining some recovery.