U of M Student, Missoula Mom leads Montana Chapter of the Pediatric Hydrocephalus Foundation Doree Taylor steps up on behalf of son’s battle with an incurable brain condition, asks the community to donate used ink jet cartridges to the ‘Recycle for Hydrocephalus Research’ cartridge campaign starting Friday, November 22, 2013 and every day through Tuesday, December 31, 2013 in Missoula. MISSOULA, MT – Just looking at 15-year-old, Sentinel sophomore Taylor Lennon, you would never guess he underwent his 4th brain surgery last summer. You would not know about the battle he fights each day to stay healthy, out of a hospital, and alive;and you could not see that his future depends on the funding of medical research.

1. NEWS RELEASE
Pediatric Hydrocephalus Foundation, Inc.
PHF - Montana State Chapter (in Missoula)
Michael Illions, PHF Vice President
Doree Taylor, State Chapter Director
Phone: 732-634-1283
Phone: 406-493-1821
Email: mike@hydrocephaluskids.org
Email: dtaylor@hydrocephaluskids.org
Tuesday, November 19, 2013FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
U of M Student, Missoula Mom leads Montana Chapter of the Pediatric HydrocephalusFoundation
Doree Taylor steps up on behalf of son’s battle with an incurable brain condition, asks the community to donate used
ink jet cartridges to the ‘Recycle for Hydrocephalus Research’ cartridge campaign starting Tuesday, November 19,
2013 and every day through Tuesday, December 31, 2013 in Missoula.
MISSOULA, MT – Just looking at 15-year-old,Sentinel sophomoreTaylor Lennon, you would never guess he underwent
his 4th brain surgery last summer. You would not know about the battle he fights each day to stay healthy, out of a
hospital, and alive; and you could not see that his future depends on the funding of medical research.
I.Lennon suffers from an incurable brain condition called Hydrocephalus. For some,the body produces
excessive spinal fluid. For others like Lennon, the volume of fluid is normal, but abnormally tiny ventricles block
it‟scirculation. Both place harmful pressure on the tissues of the brain. Typical treatment for the condition involves an
implanted shunt or pressure valve that drains fluid off, via sub-dermal tubing that runs from the head to the abdomen.
The treatment keeps patients alive, but many complications exist. Shunts often get clogged or malfunction, making
Hydrocephalus the #1 cause of all pediatric brain surgery. Physicians believe Hydrocephalus affects1 in every 500 births over 1 million Americans– and accounts for over a million dollars in medical costs, annually. Hydrocephalusis only slightly
lower in incidence than Childhood Diabetes (CD)but most peoplecan‟tspell or pronounce it, and have no idea what it is.
Maybe, at least in part, that‟s because CD research is gov‟t funded at $6 per person, whileHydro researchis funded at only
30 cents per person!.Comparisons aside, low funding of Hydro research has delayed the improvement oftreatments with
some devastating results: Hydrocephalus patients often suffer vision loss, or like Lennon, endure chronic head pain every
day, with no effective relief. Many needlessly die very young. From birth, most Hydro kids face a daunting list of obstacles
to leading full, productive lives.An ordinary teenager otherwise, Lennon sums it up for a lot of kids like him: “I wish this
headachewas out of my way. I can‟t do a lot of things I want to. Teachers and kids don‟treally getthat my head hurts
almost all the time. It‟s hard to concentrate and remember lots of details – it‟s hardto just situp, somedays.”
II.As the parent of a child with Hydrocephalus, Lennon’s Mom, Doree Taylor thinks it’s time to give
Hydrocephalus a lot more airtimeand some cold, hard research cash.On an endless treadmill of tests and
appointment for her son, with little change in his diagnosis, and a fair share of urgent surgeries - Taylor reaches out to
network and share infowith other Hydro parents in Montana. A wide spread populationand the lack of an established hub
of support havemade that difficult. Now, Montana‟s enthusiastic volunteer director of the Pediatric Hydrocephalus
Foundation (the PHF) hopes to improve communication for many. There is no formal census, but the number of Hydro
births each year indicates 1000‟s of Hydro families in Montana, like Taylor, seek answers and are in need of advocacy.
((more-more-more))

2. Missoula Mom to directDoree Taylor steps up…. 2
III.The PHF is an all-volunteer staffed,non-profit 501 (c) (3) charitable organization whose 36 state
chapters are dedicated to supporting the Hydro community in a myriad of personal ways.The PHF educates
the public about Hydrocephalus, raises funds to award research grants and advocates tostate & Federal policymakers on
behalf of the community. The PHF‟s practical, no-nonsense mission inspired Taylor to act, “It is the ONE agency doing the
hard work that must be done. When I found Montana was one of the few states with no chapter,I am the one called to
build & strengthen the network in my home state.” For moreinfo on the PHF,visit https://www.hydrokids.org.
IV.Last Fall, Lennon’sviolent headaches escalateddrastically. After disrupting most of the school year,the
uncontrollable headaches led to brain surgery in July. Disappointingly, despite 10 days at Seattle Children‟s Hospital, one
of the nation‟s best for Hydro treatment, Lennon‟s head pain remains intensely genuine. All surgeries involving the brain
are highly invasive, and dangers that can gravely alter a patient‟s future trump any guaranteeof happy results; and yet,
ashisheadaches wear on, more surgery will be the only option.The year‟s increased concerns derailed Taylor‟s U of M
studies, and time out-of-state for surgeryled to Lennon‟s Dad losing his job. “NOT a call for pity”,Taylor says, “stories like
oursare alarmingly common to Hydro families. Ours is one morestory of ordinary lives,flipped upside-down
byHydrocephalus.” Shehopes stories of patients and families like hers will ignitecommunitydesire to helpfund research &
improvesocial support for all Hydro families,“Especially the kids,” she says, adding, “Let‟s start in Montana, NOW. Funds
the PHF raises in Montana can bespent in Montana,as the handful of practitioners here step up to advance the
level of neurosurgical care in our state! The Government isn‟t doing it! Montana‟s Hydro kids are counting on US to help.”
V.The first ever PHF-MONTANA Awareness and Fundraising effort in Missoula, is planned to run fromNovember 19,
2013, through December 31st. 2013.”‘RECYCLE for HYDROCEPHALUS RESEARCH‟is a fun, EASY,community-wide
recycling campaign, almost every single citizen canparticipate in, with minimal sweat. It is a „green‟ initiative, too, and it
does NOT involve your Christmas shopping money!” Taylor quips. The PHF-MT is askingarea-wide community members to
gather all the used ink jet cartridgesthey can (no remanufactured cartridges or laser toner, please), and donate them
to the PHF, through the Holidays. Collection bins will be located at the Missoula Public Library‟ at 301 E. Main,„Doctor PC‟
in Paxson Square and „On the Upside‟ at 833 S. Higgins. Taylor hopes for5more business locations to place her remaining
bins. Donors should fill out a blue paper „Hydro Awareness‟ Ribbon at the bin, and drop it in with their cartridges; then,
take a few postcards away with them to post at work, share with friends etc. The ribbons will color in the PHF-MT tree at
the libraryas people help and funds grow, plusallow her to thank donors personally, and send tax deduction receipts to
those who wish one. Full info is on the PHF-MT Facebook page.Fromany Facebook page, type in the SEARCH: ‘montanapediatric-hydrocephalus-foundation-inc‟.As the campaign begins, a sponsor to cover the cost of 500color copies (for
ribbons)is needed,and Taylor hopes to attract an opportunity for the Awareness Tree to „ride along with friends‟ in the
Christmas Lights parade.CONTACT her at 493-1821, if you canhelp. Taylor‟s dedication is motivating: “Every single
oneof us can make a big differencefor Montana‟s Hydro Kids with alittle generosity and a small moment of determined
action!”
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Miss Taylor is gladto meet& visitwith reporters, journalists or any interested group to answer questions, anddo all she can
to help createvisibility for the PHT-MT and this recycling campaign. Lennon isalso available to share his experience.