To whom it may concern,

Chiari Malformation is a serious neurological disorder where the bottom part of the brain, the cerebellum, descends out of the skull and crowds the spinal cord, putting pressure on both the brain and spine and causing many symptoms. It can strike children and adults and cause crippling headaches, neck pain, balance problems, trouble breathing, numbness and weakness in the limbs, and a host of other problems. To date there has been very little research on Chiari and fundamental questions regarding its underlying cause, diagnosis, and treatment remain unanswered. It is estimated that Chiari affects over 300,000 people in the US.

The Conquer Chiari Walk Across America is an annual fundraising and awareness event comprised of a series of local walks held on the 3rd and 4th Saturday in September. In 2021 the event was held both live & virtually involving thousands of participants and raised more than $330,000 for research and other patient centered programs. We are proud to say that, to date, we have funded over $4.4 million in Chiari research.

I took a personal interest in this event because I was diagnosed with Chiari Malformation around 10 years ago, but it has been with me all my life. It took several years to get to the diagnosis, since so many other diseases share these symptoms. The migraine headaches and numbness in my extremities were some of my main culprits. Since diagnosis I have gone on to have two decompression surgeries to alleviate and slow the progression of the symptoms, one in 2013 and another in 2018. There is not a cure for Chiari only a host of procedures and medications to assist with a better quality of life as I navigate through the pain. Come walk with me and others like me as we bring awareness to this disease.

The 15th annual event will take place on September 24th, 2022 across the US.  Our local event will be held at Ethel Lee Tracy Park Pavilion, 1507 Placido Benavides Dr, Victoria, TX 77901.  We are requesting any form of sponsorship or donation available to raise funds for our local walk.

Conquer Chiari, known formally as the C&S Patient Education Foundation, is a 501(c)3 public charity dedicated to improving the experiences and outcomes of Chiari patients through education, awareness, and research. The Conquer Chiari website www.conquerchiari.org is the single most comprehensive source of information available on Chiari and related topics.  Our Tax ID: 20-0904691

Thank you for your consideration,

Cheborah ‘Shay’ Ross

Victoria, TX Representative

361-648-8948

c.ross777@yahoo.com