The NRF\'s latest lifesaving research. Children\'s neurosurgical & neurological research.

1. MiSSy We Need youR doNAtioNs to
FuNd liFesAviNg ReseARcH
Survivor of two Brain Tumours
Paediatric Appeal
Lifesaving Children’s Neurosurgical Research
Aged six, missy was diagnosed iNto tHe FolloWiNg
with her first brain tumour, called
a Juvenile Pilocystic Astrocytoma.
medicAl coNditioNs
this is a benign tumour but it iN cHildReN.
was life threatening due to its Epilepsy
large size and proximity to the life-saving surgery for uncontrollable epilepsy.
brain stem. Because of this, an surgery for medically intractable epilepsy was traditionally
operation was performed urgently for adults, rather than children. surgeons have a way to cure
within the first 24 hours. uncontrollable epilepsy by surgically removing the offending
portion of the brain that causes the seizures. the advanced
the aim of the neurosurgery was approach to brain mapping allows a more precise cure, so it
to remove as much of the tumour can benefit many more patients at younger ages.
as possible without damaging the
surrounding brain tissue. it was not Arteriovenous Malformation (AVM)
possible due to swelling to confirm How to stop the life threatening bleeding.
all the tumour was removed and An Avm is a tangled mesh of abnormal blood vessels
further treatment and surgery was a directly connecting arteries to veins in the brain; they develop
possibility. accidentally prior to birth. An Avm can form almost anywhere
Her second brain tumour was in the brain, brainstem, or spinal cord. A bleeding Avm is a
diagnosed two years later when missy medical emergency and requires immediate hospitalisation and
was eight. this was thought to be the surgery to stop this life-threatening blood loss.
residue of the original tumour which Stroke
had regrown. However swelling was Research into the cause and effect of stroke.
not marked and complete removal Research is needed to better understand both the causes
was possible. and the effects. the causes of childhood stroke are not
missy is enjoying school and looking forward to lots
more mischief and adventures in her life. missy is an
well understood, but are thought to include blood vessel
problems in the brain and clots travelling from the heart. Paediatric
Neurosurgical
amazing survivor, owing her life to neurosurgery. Cerebral Aneurysm
We Need youR doNAtioNs to FuNd How to diagnose and treat this life threatening condition.
liFesAviNg ReseARcH iNto tHe Aneurysm is a common disorder caused by a weakness in
research
FolloWiNg medicAl coNditioNs iN the wall of a brain artery. 40% of patients die from the initial
cHildReN. bleeding or later complications.
Brain Tumours
life saving research into how cancer gets into the brain.
Foundation
Brain cancer is one of the few cancers which occur in
children. There are 120 new cases a year among children
in Australia. second to leukaemia, brain cancer is the
most life threatening condition in children. NeuroSurgical Research Foundation inc.
Address: PO Box 698, North Adelaide SA 5006
Brain Haemorrhage Telephone: (08) 8371 0771
How to treat life threatening blood leakage. Facsimile: (08) 8261 0945
Brain haemorrhage is the sudden leaking of a blood Website: www.nrf.com.au
vessel over the surface of the brain. it is one form of
Online donations: www.nrf.com.au Help us save more children’s lives everyday
stroke requiring surgery.
by donating to the Neurosurgical
Research Foundation for the Paediatric Appeal.

2. Neurosurgery saves children’s CAdEl AlEx
lives every day... living with Hydrocephalus Brain Tumour Survivor
cadel’s life has been saved through Alex with his family moved to
Medical research saves children’s neurosurgical procedures and Adelaide in 2007 to start a new
lives in the future. advancements in techniques. cadel life in sunny Australia. soon after
has had 17 separate brain surgeries, arriving here from ireland Alex
the NRF is managing this Paediatric Appeal to raise the 43 scans, survived three infections in started having petit mal seizures
$2 million to establish this life-saving research to save his brain and spent over six months and underwent testing. the eeg
children’s lives. of his life in hospital. cadel and his confirmed it was not epilepsy, the
Research into brain disease and injury in children will family can now look forward to a doctors were already suspecting a
be the primary focus of this appeal. the position will future with his life-saving shunts. brain tumour which the subsequent
be based in Adelaide in conjunction with the university Here is his story (in the words of his mother): “our son MRI confirmed.
of Adelaide, Royal Adelaide Hospital and Women’s & Cadel was born at 32 weeks due to complications. He was At the age of six, Alex was
children’s Hospital. delivered via emergency c-section under a general anaesthetic, diagnosed with a grade 2
At present children die everyday or their lives are destroyed and thankfully he was born as healthy as a 32 weeker could astrocytoma tumour. once
through conditions such as: be. it turned out that cadel’s dramatic entrance into the world the seizures had started it only
• epilepsy was just the beginning. took doctors three weeks to
• Brain tumours At around 2 weeks old Cadel became unwell because he diagnose Alex’s brain tumour.
• Arteriovenous malformation (Avm) had e-coli meningitis; the statistics say that he shouldn’t be the family know how this
• Brain Haemorrhage here with us today. helped save his life and ensure
• stroke there was a swift and full
slowly cadel began to recover. recovery.
• Aneurysms A follow up ultrasound on his
Help us save more children’s lives everyday by giving to brain showed increased fluid in there is no known cause for brain tumours, and as Alex is
the Neurosurgical Research Foundation for the Paediatric the brain cavities (ventricles), one of a set of twins, who knows why it was Alex?
Appeal. and cadel was diagnosed with Alex had two neurosurgical
hydrocephalus. He had his first procedures to remove the entire
medical research for children requires special techniques shunt operation when he was tumour and had four titanium
because a child’s brain is not fully developed. there is a 9 weeks old. the shunt was plates implanted. Alex, an avid
potential for regrowth, development and self healing. placed to divert the excess fluid book worm can once again today
from his brain to the space in enjoy his reading and look forward
We need you to partner with us in our mission to fund his abdominal cavity. Without
Paediatric Neurosurgical Research into the treatment of to his next Zak Power adventure.
a shunt, excess pressure would Now eight years old and free
brain and spinal diseases and injury in children. lead to brain damage and
Neurosurgical research is resulting in more lives saved and of tumour, Alex is enjoying his
eventually death. new life in Australia with his two
better patient recovery.
cadel has had barriers put up brothers and twin sister. His life
Neurosurgical Research Foundation: in front of him at every turn, was saved through Neurosurgery.
the Neurosurgical Research Foundation (NRF) was and he hasn’t just broken them
established in 1963 in Adelaide. it has funded over down, he has smashed them!
$4 million in neurosurgical research since then. the NRF We are so incredibly lucky to
funds neurosurgical research in teaching hospitals and have cadel in our lives and
universities throughout Australia. are grateful each and every
day that he fought so hard
to still be here with us. my
son, quite simply, is my hero.
Neurosurgery saved his life”.