David enjoying life with the Avery Pacemaker Any time David went into a relaxed state his O2 levels would drop. This led to his diagnosis of Adult Onset Hypoventilation Syndrome (Central Sleep Apnea). In October 2014, David was implanted by Dr. Samuel Chesier at Stanford University Medical Center to allow him freedom [...]
Lauren and Shannon with their children Shannon and Lauren are 33-year-old identical twins living with CCHS. From birth to age 8, ventilation was provided via tracheostomy and then BiPap was used from age 8 to 16. In 2003, Shannon and Lauren received the Avery diaphragm pacers at London Health Science Centre in [...]
Caroline as a child Caroline was just ten months old in February of 2003 when she became a C1-C2 quadriplegic as a result of an automobile accident. After this event, Caroline endured repeated hospitalizations for recurrent pneumonia, like many other quadriplegics. Caroline was implanted with her Avery Diaphragm Pacemaker in August 2007 [...]
CCHS Ties Us Together is the 2018 annual fund campaign for the CCHS Foundation & CCHS Family Network. We invite our CCHS community and supporters from around the globe to join us in #MovingTowardACure. Get Tied Up What moves one forward better than a great pair of sneakers? The CCHS Foundation needs your help in [...]
One of the major issues facing persons with quadriplegia is the need for breathing assistance. While an injury at the C5 vertebrae or lower typically does not affect breathing, injuries above the C4 do often require ventilatory assistance. Individuals with injuries at the C1 and C2 level are dependent on assistance for breathing. Typically, [...]
“Fireflies are tiny messengers that whisper in the darkness.” ~Anonymous There are only 1200 cases in the world of Congenital Central Hypoventilation Syndrome (CCHS). Alone, our light is dim and our whispers soft. But with your help, our light will shine bright and our voices will be heard. Help us LIGHT UP SOCIAL MEDIA FOR [...]
Avery Biomedical Devices (ABD), manufacturer of the Avery Diaphragm Pacing System System, is pleased to announce the appointment of Kevin Mcshane as our Biomedical Engineer. Kevin is a recent graduate from Rowan University where he received a bachelor’s degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering. He worked on many Biomedical Engineering projects during his time at [...]
Willie loving life with the Avery Pacemaker In November 1993, Willie was paralyzed after diving into the pool at his high school. Thanks to his quick-thinking friends, he was airlifted to Johannesburg General Hospital in South Africa. In July 1994, Willie was implanted with the Avery Diaphragm Pacemaker. Willie first heard of [...]
Tina loving life with her Avery Pacemaker Tina lives in Tennessee with her husband and daughter. In October 2008, Tina suffered with pneumonia that lingered for nine months. Doctors later diagnosed Tina with a rare and congenital condition, Alpha-1 Antitrypsin. The deficiency of Alpha-1 can cause severe breathing difficulties in adults (central hypoventilation) [...]
Avery Biomedical Devices (ABD), manufacturer of the Avery Diaphragm Pacing System System, is pleased to announce the appointment of Christopher Benedict, as our Patient Services liaison. Chris has joined the Avery team to assist our customer service department in ensuring the needs of our patients are addressed.He has spent the last seven years working in [...]
