EASTHAMPTON, Mass. (WWLP) – 21-year-old Westhampton resident Isabella Sacharcyzk has been struggling with the rare brain condition, Hydrocephalus, her entire life.

“Hydro” is a condition in which fluid accumulates in the brain, and sometimes causes brain damage. Isabella has had 22 brain surgeries. Hydro has affected her ability to walk and learn.

“I struggle with headaches everyday,” said Isabella Sacharczyk. “My ability to walk has gone up and down, I now wear leg braces.”

Isabella is the Director of the Massachusetts Chapter for the Pediatric Hydrocephalus Foundation. Her organization held the Walk and 5K Saturday outside the Mary Ann’s Dance Studio on Main Street.

This was the fifth “walk to beat hydrocephalus” in Easthampon and the main goal was to raise awareness and money to find better treatment and hopefully a cure.

“We look around we don’t know who is affected,” Michelle Walden of Deerfield. “There needs to be more awareness, more funding.”

“Last night I couldn’t sleep, just because I was so excited and I love seeing the community come together helping to create a common goal to eventually finding a cure to hydrocephalus, said Sacharczyk.”

All of the money raised will help fund hydrocephalus research at the Boston Children’s Hospital. More than 15 thousand dollars was raised at last year’s walk and 5K.

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