In 2012, more than 30,000 people in the United States will be affected by a ruptured brain aneurysm.  More than 40% of these aneurysms will prove to be fatal.  As we enter the month of March that will honor Brain Awareness Week March 12-18th, The Joe Niekro Foundation would like to share information about the warning signs of a brain aneurysm.  Research shows that early detection can make a significant difference in the outcome of a brain aneurysm.

Brain Awareness Week will be celebrated from March 12-18, 2012, and will be a global campaign to increase public awareness about the progress and benefits of brain research.  Each year, Brain Awareness Week campaign combines the efforts of universities, hospitals, government agencies, schools, and professional associations in a week-long celebration of the brain.

The Joe Niekro Foundation is committed to providing critical awareness, education, support and research funding to reduce the incidence of brain aneurysm ruptures.  The goal of our organization is to educate people about the dangers of brain aneurysms and save lives by funding vital research and increasing awareness.

Brain aneurysms can affect people of any age and as many as 1 in 15 people have an unruptured brain aneurysm.  Even with today’s advanced nuero-imaging technology, 25% of people are misdiagnosed or receive delayed diagnoses for brain aneurysms.  To ensure individuals receive the appropriate care in an emergency situation, it is important to raise awareness of the warning signs and symptoms.

There are many risk factors that doctors and researchers believe may increase your risk of developing an aneurysm or, if you already have an aneurysm, may increase your risk of it rupturing including smoking, hypertension, drug use, infection, tumors, traumatic head injury and a family history of aneurysms.

Most brain aneurysms cause no symptoms and may only be discovered during tests for another, usually unrelated, condition. In other cases, an unruptured aneurysm will cause problems by pressing on areas within the brain. When this happens, the person may suffer from severe headaches, blurred vision, changes in speech, and neck pain, depending on the areas of the brain that are affected and the severity of the aneurysm.

Aneurysms may burst and bleed into the brain, causing serious complications including hemorrhagic stroke, permanent nerve damage or death. Once it has burst, the aneurysm may burst again and rebleed into the brain, and additional aneurysms may also occur. More commonly, rupture may cause a subarachnoid hemorrhage – bleeding into the space between the skull bone and the brain.

The importance of early detection of these sudden and silent killers is critical which is why The Joe Niekro Foundation has embarked on a national initiative called Wanna Get Lucky?  This t-shirt campaign is designed to educate the public on the importance of early detection. Help us save lives by joining this campaign to spread the word of why it’s important to Get Lucky. All monies raised from t-shirts sales goes directly to aneurysm awareness and education.  So as we enter into this critical month of raising the importance of brain aneurysm awareness, please join us by sporting a Wanna Get Lucky? t-shirt.  The life you save…could very well be your own.

Thank you for your support and continued assistance in helping us defeat these silent killers!