Friends, family, and colleagues,

Thank you for returning to support Team Owen in 2023! If you're new to this - welcome and thank you for your interest in joining our family as we WALK to End Hydrocephalus! As you may know, hydrocephalus is a life-altering, life-threatening condition, caused by an abnormal accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid, resulting in pressure on the brain. The most common treatment for this condition is brain surgery to implant a medical device called a shunt. A shunt is not a cure and, as a result, many patients endure multiple brain surgeries throughout their lifetime. Just pause for a moment and imagine life, knowing your shunt could fail at any moment and lead you back into brain surgery. Living with such life-threatening uncertainty is taxing, to say the least.

Owen was diagnosed with hydrocephalus in utero, caused by a mutation in the L1CAM gene, and had a shunt placed at Cincinnati Children's Hospital on day seven of life. Hydrocephalus has presented its challenges but, with God’s grace, Owen continuously overcomes obstacles and exceeds expectations, getting stronger every day - literally having put in thousands of hours of physical, occupational, and speech therapy across this nation. This boy is nothing short of miraculous. He loves being outside, reading books, traveling to therapy all over this great land, and spending time with family and friends!

Owen is WHY we WALK, and also why we need your support. Together, help us find a cure with a donation to Team Owen and/or by registering for the WALK on September 30. Your support is greatly appreciated and will go far in helping find a cure and improve the lives of people living with hydrocephalus.

Thank you and God bless,

The Knapke Family