Please watch this video presented by Gary Mathern.  It is quite informative and well presented.  Dr. Mathern performed Grace’s second surgery and is dedicated to finding a cure for RE.  While the results of the hemisphrectomy surgery are life saving, the surgery is not a cure for RE.  The indvidual post-hemi is left with a life of extreme limitations and the ongoing threat of the return of seizures.  We should not have to trade a terrible nightmare for a bad dream. 

Please support Grace as she enters the pool to raise awareness and funds for the RE Children’s Project.  Grace will be swimming laps along with her friends at the Middlesex Club on July 22nd.  Please be a virtual swimmer and click Grace information swim to obtain a sponsor form.  Any donation is welcomed.  Many thanks to our friends at Middlesex as well as Marj Trifone and Megan Brown.  Marj is the swim coach at Middlesex and has been wonderful to Grace.  Grace’s love for the water is returning under the guidance and coaching of Marj as she learns to swim with one arm.

Finally, happy 4th of July!  It is a great weekend to be with family and everyone is patriotic on this holiday.  It is also time to remember our troops and the young women and men that protect our way of life.  It is also a time to take note of the epidemic of epilepsy among our troops resulting from traumatic brain injury.  Patrick Kennedy has spoken eloquently on this topic and in addition to supporting research into epilepsy, he is also taking a leadership role in advancing the study of the brain.  Please continue to support our efforts to find a cure for RE as well as the efforts of other organizations that are fighting to find a cure for intractable epilepsy, especially for our returning vets.