Approximately 1,000 walkers helped raise $100,000 during Long Island’s 11th annual Brain Aneurysm Awareness Walk at Jones Beach State Park, hosted by Northwell Health’s Brain Aneurysm Center and the Brain Aneurysm Foundation. Survivors and their families, along with those who lost a loved one, attended the September 21 event, which has raised nearly $800,000 since its inception. Proceeds from the walk will support essential research at the two organizations.
“This year’s walk was extra special,” said David J. Chalif, MD, chief of neurosurgery at Southside Hospital and director of Northwell Health’s Brain Aneurysm Center. “While our guest speakers in the past were brain aneurysm survivors, we were touched this year to have as one of our guest speakers Greg McGeady, who lost his older brother to a ruptured brain aneurysm. Hearing Mr. McGeady’s story brought many of us to tears. It was a reminder to all of us that while there are many who are brain aneurysm survivors, about 30 percent of cases with a ruptured aneurysm are fatal.”
McGeady, 34, of Clifton Park, was joined on stage by brain aneurysm survivors Luisina Alonzo, 22, of Bellerose, Queens, and Cynthia Mathis, 40, of New Hyde Park, who each shared their stories.
Walk participants were reminded of the warning signs of a brain aneurysm: severe headache, nausea, blurred or double vision, stiff neck or neck pain, pain above or behind the eye and loss of sensation.
—Submitted by Northwell Health
