Florida Sen. Aaron Bean proclaims September 2020 as Brain Aneurysm Awareness Month; Baptist Health honored for excellence in cerebrovascular care by the Trinity Love Hoblit Foundation

To raise awareness about undiagnosed brain aneurysms in the United States, which place up to 13 million people in the United States at risk of serious health problems such as stroke, brain damage or even death, Aaron Bean, Florida District 4 senator, declared September 2020 to be Brain Aneurysm Awareness Month during a news conference at Baptist Medical Center Jacksonville and Wolfson Children’s Hospital. The initiative aims to encourage patients and physicians to seek treatment for the cerebrovascular condition before it can progress to a medical emergency.

Recognizing a continued commitment to excellence in clinical care for cerebrovascular conditions such as brain aneurysms, the Trinity Love Hoblit Foundation, a non-profit organization supporting research, training and treatment for neurological disorders, presented Wolfson Children’s Hospital and Baptist Neurological Institute with a $10,000 award during the proclamation, a portion of their yearly donation.

Aneurysms impact roughly 2-4% of the U.S. population, around 6.5-13 million individuals in total. Most aneurysm deaths occur due to large amounts of internal bleeding after weakened blood vessels swell, fill with blood and eventually burst. Discovery before rupture is essential to prevent serious health problems and manage symptoms.

“Raising awareness of the signs and symptoms of brain aneurysms will improve our ability to help patients before aneurysms can cause a problem,” said Ricardo Hanel, MD, PhD, neurosurgeon and co-medical director of the Baptist Stroke & Cerebrovascular Center. “An understanding of risks and warning signs leads to earlier treatment and better clinical outcomes.”

“While rare, cerebral aneurysms do occur in children and they can be devastating,” said pediatric neurosurgeon Philipp Aldana, MD, co-medical director of the Stys Neuroscience Institute at Wolfson Children’s Hospital of Jacksonville and professor of Neurosurgery and Pediatrics with the UF College of Medicine – Jacksonville. “That’s why it is so important for parents to be aware of the signs and symptoms of pediatric aneurysms, and risk factors that put children at higher risk. Getting immediate care that can only be provided at a comprehensive, full-service children’s hospital like Wolfson Children’s makes all the difference. Thank you to Senator Bean, and the Trinity Love Hoblit Foundation, for helping to raise awareness about brain aneurysms in children and adults.”