Brain Aneurysm Foundation

I'm once again walking with Team In Memory of Donna to fundraise for the Brain Aneurysm Foundation in memory of my mother, who died from a ruptured brain aneurysm when she was only 29-years-old. The BAF supports brain aneurysm education, research, and clinical care. I greatly appreciate all the support you've offered over the years.

OUR MISSION: To promote early detection of brain aneurysms by providing knowledge and raising awareness of the signs, symptoms and risk factors. Work with the medical communities to provide support networks for patients and families, as well as to further research that will improve patient outcomes and save lives.

Through your support, the Brain Aneurysm Foundation will be able to continue to provide support and educational materials and information to brain aneurysm patients, their families, and the medical community and to promote critical awareness of brain aneurysms which will lead to earlier detection. The Brain Aneurysm Foundation is funding essential research that will promote a better understanding of why this condition happens and identify those at risk before an aneurysm rupture occurs. 

Thank you for making a difference with your support! 

Number of People Affected

• An estimated 6.8 million people in the United States have an unruptured brain aneurysm, or 1 in 50 people.
• The annual rate of rupture is approximately 8 – 10 per 100,000 people.
• About 30,000 people in the United States suffer a brain aneurysm rupture each year. A brain aneurysm ruptures every 18 minutes.
• There are almost 500,000 deaths worldwide each year caused by brain aneurysms, and half the victims are younger than 50.

Population Most Affected

• Brain aneurysms are most prevalent in people ages 35 to 60, but can occur in children as well. Most aneurysms develop after the age of 40.
• Women are more likely than men to have a brain aneurysm (3:2 ratio).
• Women, particularly those over the age of 55, have a higher risk of brain aneurysm rupture than men (about 1.5 times the risk).
• African-Americans and Hispanics are about twice as likely to have a brain aneurysm rupture compared to caucasians.

Devastation Caused by Aneurysms

• Ruptured brain aneurysms are fatal in about 50% of cases. Of those who survive, about 66% suffer some permanent neurological deficit.
• Approximately 15% of people with a ruptured aneurysm die before reaching the hospital. Most of the deaths are due to rapid and massive brain injury from the initial bleeding.
• According to a 2004 study, in the United States, the combined lost wages of survivors of brain aneurysm rupture and their caretaker for one year were $150 million.

Diagnosis and Treatment Facts

• Most aneurysms are small — about 1/8 inch to nearly one inch.
• 20% of people diagnosed with a brain aneurysm have more than one aneurysm.
• Aneurysms larger than one inch are referred to as “giant” aneurysms. These can pose a particularly high risk and can also be difficult to treat.
• Ruptured brain aneurysms account for 3-5% of all new strokes.
• Among patients evaluated in an emergency department for headaches, approximately one in 100 has a ruptured aneurysm, according to one study. Another study puts the number at four in 100.
• Accurate early diagnosis of a ruptured brain aneurysm is critical, as the initial hemorrhage may be fatal or result in devastating neurologic outcomes.

Misdiagnosis and Associated Costs

• Despite the widespread availability of brain imaging that can detect a ruptured brain aneurysm, misdiagnosis or delays in diagnosis occur in up to one quarter of patients when initially seeking medical attention. In three out of four cases, misdiagnosis results from a failure to do a scan.
• The treatment of ruptured brain aneurysms is far more costly than the treatment of unruptured aneurysms: The cost of a brain aneurysm treated by surgical clipping more than doubles after the aneurysm has ruptured. The cost of a brain aneurysm treated by endovascular coiling increases by about 70% after the aneurysm has ruptured.
• The federal government spends only $2.08 per year on brain aneurysm research for each person afflicted.