Story
Michael lives in East Kilbride aged 13. When Michael had an accident at school in 2016, it was discovered he had Chiari Malformation after a CT Scan.
Chiari Malformation is when the cerebellar tonsils herniate outside the skull, leading to crowding of the brain stem and in the majority of cases blockages of CSF fluid. This leads to a multitude of symptoms, headaches, migraines, widespread body pain, dizziness, trouble swallowing, numbness, loss of feeling in arms or legs, loss of bladder or bowel control, sleep apnea or in extreme cases, paralysis or death. This condition is one lacking in research or Chiari specialists in Scotland and the UK.
Just4Children previously raised the funds for Michael to attend Barcelona for a specialist surgery to section a part of his spine to relieve pressure on the brain.
Unfortunately, Michael will always have Chiari, and any knocks to the head or neck can still be dangerous. He will require check ups frequently to ensure that the part of his spine that was sectioned has not retethered. Whenever he has any symptoms return this means a check up with the institute in Barcelona and possible surgery again.
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