Thursday, February 28, 2013

Brain Awareness Exhibit

BRAIN AWARENESS OPEN HOUSE--SO NEAR!

The 2013 Brain Awareness (BAW) Open House is coming up on Tuesday, the 5th of March!  Can't believe it is coming up so soon.

I picked up some of the giveaway items, so kindly donated by KING5 Television, for our exhibit.  One of our topics this year is about how weather (specifically the barometric pressure) impacts those of us with shunts.  It ties is with the weather dvd that KING5 donated.  Their donations are always welcome additions to our table(s) at the event.

We still have some giveaway items from last year and are expecting some items from other sources in the coming days.  We'll have lots of 'stuff', which is always great.

We will be seeing several hundred kids from Washington state schools--everything from private and home schooled kids to public school students.  In addition, we will be seeing lots of parents and teachers.

I'm already brainstorming for next year's exhibit.  Hard to believe that we've been part of BAW for over 12 years.  How time flies!  Lots of surprises, hopefully. 

I'm hoping to be able to post pictures from this year's event on the blog shortly after returning from the event.

Yesterday I found a number of periodical articles on hydro that were published in February, 2013.  I just skimmed them, since I was at the library and running out of time on the library computer.  I'd love to include some of the articles and information in our BAW exhibit.


Sunday, February 17, 2013

FEBRUARY MEETING


 This month's meeting was our last before March 5th's Brain Awareness Open House Event.  We are still getting 'stuff' together for the exhibit, including searching for a tv/dvd combo unit (small) so we can show a couple of dvds.

I'm still hoping to get some donated items from KING5, our local NBC affiliate.  They have donated things, like reusable bags, in the past.  The reusable bags were a big hit with the kids at the event.

We are looking forward to having Medtronic being a part of the exhibit again this year too.  Another aspect of our exhibit that has gone over well with the kids, as well as parents and teachers.

As always, I'm hoping for more than we get for each year's exhibit.  Some day I would love to have some neuro researchers with a focus on hydrocephalus at our booth.  I'd also like to have a 'wall' of brain scans to show kids how every one is unique.  While I found some online, I'm not sure how good the quality of them would be after being reproduced.

I'm also hoping to get a new charger for my camera and be able to post pictures from BAW.

At the February meeting we had a new person join us, which was great.  We got to hear his story and he got to hear our's.  Hope to see him at future meetings!

I was sorry to hear that Dr. Ben Carson, neurosurgeon, will be retiring later this year.  He is one of the country's premiere pediatric neurosurgeons.  He spoke at last week's Prayer Breakfast in Washington DC.  He was also on ABC's This Week.

Looking forward to the March meeting where we will be discussing BAW.