Saturday is important day for the Miller Family.

Not only is it an opportunity to forward on a mission they feel passionate about, but it’s also a way to remember the struggles they’ve been through, the obstacles they’ve faced as a family, and a chance to count their blessings.

Jerrod Miller, a Portland Firefighter at Station 8, and his wife Tara’s son Grant was diagnosed with hydrocephalus in utero, only three weeks before he was due. Grant was born on August 10, 2005 weighing a healthy 9 pounds 1 ounce.  CT scans soon determined that Grant had suffered an intra-ventricular hemorrhage and his third ventricle was blocked.  This blockage had caused a build-up of cerebral spinal fluid around his brain.  At just two days old, Grant had his first brain surgery.  A pediatric neurosurgeon surgically implanted a device called a shunt.  This is a flexible tube and valve system that drains cerebrospinal fluid from the brain to another part of the body.

Alongside his sister, Emory, and brother, Drew, Grant is a fun and loving boy who continues to thrive.  He loves trucks, tractors, and trailers.  He loves to eat pizza and his favorite color is brown. He has not had a shunt replacement yet, but sadly children and adults diagnosed with hydrocephalus are subject to multiple surgeries over their lifetime. 

This is why the Miller Family is committed to participating in the Hydrocephalus Association WALK happening this Saturday, June 25, 2011. The goal of the walk is to raise funds to support crucial hydrocephalus research and program services.

In 2010 during the walk’s first year, over 8,000 people participated in 25 walks across the U.S., raising more than $730,000! The target for this year’s walk is for 9,000 walkers to raise $830,000 – but they need YOUR HELP!

Please join the Miller Family for the second annual Hydrocephalus Association WALK on Saturday, June 25, 2011 at Blue Lake Park, 20500 NE Marine Drive Fairview, OR 97024. Bring your friends and family for a 2-mile walk in the park, followed by a BBQ lunch.

Learn more about hydrocephalus and find ways you can help support the Hydrocephalus Association Portland, OR WALK by clicking here. 

What is Hydrocephalus?

The term hydrocephalus is derived from the Greek words "hydro" meaning water and "cephalus" meaning head. As the name implies, it is a condition in which the primary characteristic is excessive accumulation of fluid in the brain. Although hydrocephalus was once known as "water on the brain," the "water" is actually cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) — a clear fluid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord. The excessive accumulation of CSF results in an abnormal widening of   spaces in the brain called ventricles. This widening creates potentially harmful pressure on the tissues of the brain.  Learn more here.

   Portland Fire & Rescue 

   We Respond: Always Ready, Always There

   June 24, 2011 

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