PLEASE PLEDGE YOUR 16!
We have all felt alone.
That moment where we would give anything to know someone else who has walked the same path.
That person who can give us the strength to make it to the other side.
When we face our greatest challenge we should not be alone!
- There are currently 6 million people in the US who have an unruptured brain aneurysm
- As many as 1 in 15 people will develop a brain aneurysm or AVM
- Every 18 minutes an aneurysm ruptures
- 50% of ruptured aneurysm patients will die instantly
- The average age of an AVM rupture is 17 years old
- There are approximately 120,000 hemorrhagic stroke victims annually
The Joe Niekro Foundation™ is committed to supporting patients and families, research, treatment and awareness of Brain Aneurysms, AVMs and Hemorrhagic Strokes.  We provide education on the risk factors, causes and treatments of these conditions, while funding the advancement of neurological research.
The Joe Niekro Foundation™ Support Groups create a community to help these survivors know that recovery is possible and they are not alone.
- These groups provide life-saving support to patients, survivors, caregivers and families, both online and in person.
- Social support is essential to the recovery process and social isolation can greatly reduce patient recovery and outcomes after suffering a Brain Aneurysm/AVM/Hemorrhagic Stroke.
- Many hospitals are not equipped to offer patients and families the ongoing support post discharge needed for their full recovery.
- Survivors have the opportunity to meet and learn from other survivors who have experienced similar issues and understand.
- Support group members learn what to expect during their healing process and develop new coping strategies through shared personal experiences.
- Members have access to healthcare professionals as well as other survivors.
- Our education booklet Roadmap to Recovery provides information on topics such as depression, social reintegration, coping with disabilities, nutritional brainpower, exercising your brain and much more.
- Members feel empowered when they receive access to educational information and emotional support that directly helps lead them to improved health and quality of life.
“A support group can be life saving for a patient and family during their critical recovery period. I have been amazed by the commitment, the diligence and camaraderie of their members. I have been deeply impressed by the benefit my patients and their families have received by interacting with others who have survived the same ordeal. I salute the organizers of The Joe Niekro Foundation™ for all the good that they do, and am deeply grateful for the benefit my patients have received because of their efforts.”
Dr. Robert F. Spetzler
Director, Barrow Neurological Institute
Chairman and President, Barrow Neurosurgical Associates
Professor of Surgery, Section of Neurosurgery, University of Arizona College of Medicine, Tucson, AZ
“It was in August 2012 and being 19, I was rushed to the hospital. They had discovered that I had a ruptured AVM and a possible stroke. While there isn’t a lot that I remember about the event, I have had to live with many difficulties including forgetfulness, struggling with talking, and my ability to participate in many activities. It is through the Joe Niekro Foundation and their guidance that I’ve been able to meet and talk to other survivors and understand I am not alone.”
Tyler Landreth, Survivor 22 Years Old, Green, Oregon
Here’s how you can help JNF provide the critical funding necessary to offer a greater support network for survivors and caregivers worldwide:
Share the message with 16 friends and/or share the link below with friends on other social media sites, across the web and by email.
The more people we can educate, the more lives we can save. It is our priority to create awareness and deliver guidance, knowledge and support to those facing the challenging road of diagnosis, treatment and recovery. Together, we can create this vital community where people no longer have to feel alone – they can thrive, not just survive.  #16inSixteen #giveyour16
