The South American Initiative has the only medical program offering help to the epileptic children of Venezuela. SAI is supporting life-saving neurosurgery by providing Vagus Nerve Stimulator Implants (VNS) that offer relief from daily life-threatening seizures for kids suffering form epilepsy. Second only to the Red Cross, SAI's field team provides immediate help where it is needed most, to those who cannot take care of themselves -- sick children and orphans.
As the political and economic crisis escalates in Venezuela, no one is taking care of sick, epileptic children and young adults. Epilepsy is a disorder of the central nervous system when brain activity becomes irregular, causing seizures or uncontrolled movements and behavior. Aggressive epilepsy result in 1-2 severe life-threatening seizures per day. With every seizure a small part of their brain dies and never recovers. Plus, many seizures cause head and limb injuries that could be fatal.
The best procedure to halt seizures unresponsive to medication is called VNS (Vagus Nerve Stimulator) Therapy. A medical device is implanted in the patient's vagus nerve to provide a mild electrical pulse to the brain eliminating severe seizures. With a costs over $25,000, plus anesthesia, doctors & nurses, these children nor their parents have the money to pay for the device and surgery, while others can't afford the necessary tests to see if they are viable candidates for the neurosurgery.
These VNS Devices are donated by LIVA NOVA with 10 children benefiting from the surgery. Your donations pay for the surgical procedures, medications, and support. Venezuela's epileptic children desperately need your help to continue with the VNS Life-Saving Project at a cost of $250,000. With your help and a generous donation we can change the lives of Venezuelan children with severe epilepsy. The VNS Neurosurgery is the best second-chance at a good life these kids have.
This project has provided additional documentation in a PDF file (projdoc.pdf).
