MT. VERNON (NEWS CENTER Maine) — A woman from Mt. Vernon who survived two brain aneurysms is helping raise awareness about a condition that can affect anyone and is often fatal in nearly half of all cases.
Twelve years ago, McCausland woke up to a sudden pain in her head that felt like a knife. The pain subsided but when she went to the emergency room doctors told her she had a brain aneurysm.
The condition is a balloon-like bulge in a blood vessel that can potentially burst.
A procedure sealed the blood vessel in Heidi's brain before it ruptured.
Eight years later, a routine scan revealed a second aneurysm. McCausland underwent brain surgery to clip it. She says people who suffer from sudden and painful headache, blurry vision, weakness and numbness need to seek medical attention immediately.
"If I hadn't listened to my body and taken a pill and gone back to bed," she said, "I probably wouldn't be here."
Video: Heidi McCausland's Story
McCausland and her husband Dave started a walk and run to honor people in Maine who died or survived a brain aneurysm. The KAT-Walk and Karo 5k for Brain Aneurysm Awareness, which is also raising money for research, will be held this Saturday in Portland.
For information on the 5K run and walk visit kat-walk.org
For more information on warning signs, symptoms and treatment visit lisafoundation.org