Walkers raise $70K for brain research

The Island Now

More than 1,000 walkers helped raise $70,000 at Jones Beach State Park recently during Long Island’s fifth annual Brain Aneurysm Awareness Walk, hosted by the Brain Aneurysm Center of the North Shore-LIJ Health System’s Cushing Neuroscience Institute, along with the Brain Aneurysm Foundation.

The money will benefit North Shore-LIJ’s Brain Aneurysm Center and the Brain Aneurysm Foundation, supporting essential research that may directly benefit those affected and help to reduce the incidence of ruptured aneurysms.  

Brain aneurysm survivors, their families and friends attended the event on Sept. 28. David Chalif, and Avi Setton, co-directors of the Brain Aneurysm Center, were among the many doctors, nurses and staff members from the center in attendance to show their support for the many patients they have treated over the years.

“One of the goals of this event is to increase awareness about the warning signs of a brain aneurysm,” said Chalif. “The symptoms can include severe headache, nausea, blurred or double vision, stiff neck or neck pain, pain above or behind the eye, and loss of sensation.”  

At this year’s walk, two brain aneurysm survivors shared their stories in the hope of spreading awareness about the warning signs of a brain aneurysm. 

This past June, Miele Alexander, 14, of South Floral Park, was packing for her school’s senior trip when she suddenly felt excruciating pain in her head. Luckily, Alexander’s mother knew that it was more than an ordinary headache and rushed her to the Cohen Children’s Medical Center in New Hyde Park. Alexander was seen by CCMC’s pediatric neurosurgeon Mark Mittler, who determined that she had a ruptured brain aneurysm. She was transferred to North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset, where she was seen by Drs. Chalif and Setton.

Alexander’s case was unique and rare in that only 5 percent of brain aneurysms occur in children. It was determined that due to the size and location of her brain aneurysm, it was best to treat her by surgically clipping the aneurysm, cutting off blood flow. 

The surgery was successfully performed by Chalif and Mittler and Alexander was discharged only 10 days later.  

Similar to Alexander, 40-year-old Jackie Gavin from Astoria, Queens, also experienced troubling headaches. A magnetic resonance imaging revealed two brain aneurysms – one located behind her left eye and the other at the bottom part of her brain.

Her neurologist referred her to Chalif and Setton, who determined she would benefit from another treatment option, a minimally invasive stent-assisted coiling procedure. The stent acts as a support to provide structure for the vessel and is placed under the opening of the aneurysm. The stent secures placement of coils and maintains blood flow through the artery. In Gavin’s case, the aneurysm behind her left eye was successfully coiled in April. For the other aneurysm, it was determined that because of its size and location it would be better to monitor it and follow up in December.

“What is amazing about Miele and Jackie is that both of them, one only a teenager and the other a young woman, paid attention to their bodies and knew that something wasn’t quite right and sought immediate medical attention,” said Chalif. “By sharing their stories at this year’s walk, they undoubtedly helped us spread awareness about the warning signs of a brain aneurysm and saved lives. We are extremely grateful to both of them and they should be commended for their extraordinary courage and strength.”

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