When 11-year old Gerard Fudge was diagnosed with hydrocephalus in 1981, his mother Emily was terrified. She had questions. What exactly is hydrocephalus? What kind of life could she expect for her son? Unfortunately, there was no place for Emily to go for support. Being helpless and uninformed was not an acceptable option. She promised herself that no one else would have to feel so alone at such a difficult time. Now, 22 years later, the Hydrocephalus Association provides support, education and advocacy to people impacted by this life-long condition. In this episode of The Visionaries, we travel to San Francisco, St. Louis and Dallas to find out what happens when people dealing with complex medical, emotional and physical issues associated with hydrocephalus receive support, education and access to ongoing quality healthcare.
