#TEAMBRAYDEN❤️ - THE BRAYDEN ODELL AVM FUND

Until January 22nd 2021, our 11-year-old Brayden was a healthy young boy. He loved school, his siblings, friends and his family. He was generous and caring. Not only was that Friday his Dad's birthday, it was also a ped day. Brayden happily skated outdoors and played PS4 in our room. Suddenly, he came into the living room saying he had a bad headache. Moments later he went in to a coma. There was no warning. He'd begun to perspire and his eyes were glassy. 

His last words were, “Mommy am

I going to be ok?” I reassured him that he would be. We called 911.  After a four hour brain surgery, we learned that Brayden had suffered a ruptured Arteriovenous Malformation (AVM) in his cerebellum. He'd been born with it and it grew as he did. Despite a successful surgery, Brayden's pressure would not stabilize. He fought hard. while his family and community #TeamBrayden, rallied for him. Despite his heroic battle, we lost our beloved son and brother to cardiac arrest on January 27th, 2021. 

An AVM is defined as an abnormal tangle of blood vessels where the arterial blood bypasses capillaries and reaches the veins. It can develop

anywhere in the body but usually occurs in the brain or spinal cord.

AVMs are kind of rare. There are fewer than 1,000 cases per year in Canada.

It requires a lab test or imaging to diagnose and can be treatable by a medical professional.

 AVMs can last several years or be lifelong.

Their exact cause is unknown but it is usually a congenital condition. Symptoms depend on the location of AVM. Most

commonly observed symptoms include headache and seizures. Surgery is the most common treatment for AVMs and

depends on the location. Medication and supportive care would aid in speedy recovery.

Source: Mayo Clinic