Elmhurst Chiari Walk Will Help Find Cure for Chiari Malformation, Related Cerebrospinal Disorders

The Chiari and Syringomyelia Foundation will hold its first annual unite@night walk from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Friday, June 29, in Beren’s Park in Elmhurst.

“This is wonderful news for our community,” said Jeanne Naples of Elmhurst, mother of Melissa (16) who has suffered with Chiari malformation since she was 5. “Melissa, and those like her suffer from debilitating symptoms that stop them from leading a normal life. With this walk in Elmhurst, we will raise awareness for this disease and help many who suffer from it.”

This event is a 1-mile casual evening walk bringing people together who are suffering with the devastating effects of Chiari malformation, syringomyelia, Ehlers-Danlos, hydrocephalus, intracranial hypertension, dysautonomia, autism and related disorders.

These disorders cause effects such as excruciating head pain, fatigue, muscle weakness in the head and face, nausea, impaired coordination and in severe cases, paralysis. Battling these symptoms mean a lifetime of pain for over 1 million Americans. CSF has established unite@night walks to provide education and increase awareness while funding research projects that are aimed to find answers to help those who are fighting these disorders. 

At the age of 5, Melissa was diagnosed with Chiari Malformation, which causes her to have constant excruciating headache pain on a daily basis. The pain impacts her life to such an extent that she is unable to participate in any physical activity and missed more than 50 days of school in 2012, including finals, and she has been hospitalized four times since January. To date, there has been no resolution for her after years of enduring surgical procedures, innumerable medicine trials with life threatening reactions, and holistic approaches.

Melissa and her family have become involved with the national Chiari organization, CSF, and are now administrators of the unite@night walk to raise educational awareness and research all in hopes of finding a cure. The debilitating effects of Chiari has made Melissa determined to help the millions of people who suffer as she does.

You can join Melissa and other sufferers of Chiari at the unite@night event.  It will be a fun-filled evening with a DJ, food, activities and more

Individual or team participants, sponsors for individuals or team sponsors, and corporate sponsors are welcome. To learn more about the Chicago walk site, register for the walk, or become a sponsor go to http://csfinfo.org/node/305.

Chiari & Syringomyelia Foundation (CSF) is a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization built on leadership, vision and commitment to find a cure for Chiari malformation (CM), syringomyelia (SM) and related CSF (Cerebrospinal Fluid) disorders was founded in October 2007.