For more than 45 years, Hydrocephalus Canada has been providing support and education to Canadians dealing with hydrocephalus and spina bifida. This information can be life altering because one form of hydrocephalus is often misdiagnosed. Proper treatment of both hydrocephalus and spina bifida can positively affect quality of life. That’s why the organization used its one by one® grant to purchase promotional totes to help make connections and share knowledge, especially with those most susceptible to these conditions.
Educating and informing is job one
When the information you share can change a life, you want as many people as possible to hear it, says Information and Services Coordinator Shauna Beaudoin. “Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus can be misdiagnosed as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and dementia,” Beaudoin said. “People can have testing done to determine if they actually have hydrocephalus. A lot of people are taking medications or are in long-term care when they don’t need to be. Diagnosed early enough in people age 55 and over, the condition is treatable and in many cases the symptoms are reversed.”
To get the word out, Hydrocephalus Canada provides educational opportunities in a wide variety of venues and offers support to people with hydrocephalus and spina bifida. “We attend quite a few senior fairs,” Beaudoin said. “We also have a resource center, newsletter, social media and a kid’s book club.”
The organization also teaches people about the importance of taking folic acid before pregnancy and even offers puppet shows where children can learn and ask questions about the conditions.
For people with these conditions, Hydrocephalus Canada offers both support groups and peer support, thanks to a program that connects people dealing with the same issues. “With these conditions, there are a lot of secondary issues,” Beaudoin said. “With spina bifida, there can be pain involved, and it’s hard to know where it’s coming from. We’re here if you need someone to listen to you.” Hydrocephalus Canada provides additional opportunities for people living with these conditions including scholarships for students working on their post-secondary education.
Spreading the word with promotional totes
As a recipient of a 4imprint one by one® grant, Hydrocephalus Canada was able to spread the word about these conditions and thank their supporters with a Jumbo Grocery Tote. “We’ve had two fundraising walks so far, with a few more yet to be held this summer and fall. We offered bags to everyone who walked,” Beaudoin said.
The bags were also a huge hit at senior fairs. “They go like hotcakes at our senior fairs,” Beaudoin laughs. “Everyone loves the colors, which are part of our color scheme. We only have one box left!”
A note from Cheryl:
Awareness of a problem is the first step to addressing it—and Hydrocephalus Canada is working hard to spread awareness all across Canada. We’re glad that we can help this organization share this important information with promotional totes purchased through our one by one grant program. For more information, visit onebyone.4imprint.ca.