AHCF In the News
Today’s Honoree is Jeff Wuchich
Jeff Wuchich, president of the Alternating Hemiplegia of Childhood Foundation has worked tirelessly to raise awareness of Alternating Hemiplegia of Childhood, a rare neurological disorder affecting one in 1 million children. AHC causes bouts of temporary paralysis affecting one or more parts of the body, lasting from a few minutes to even days. AHC also causes severe learning, behavioral and movement disabilities among some sufferers. Currently the disease is both incurable and permanent, but Jeff and the AHCF are working hard towards a cure. Part of their work includes the “1 in a Million” campaign, which aims to raise $1 million for the AHCF in 2012. Jeff’s son Michael has AHC, and he is working as an advocate for all parents of children with AHC. (more…)
Walk-athon Raises Awareness and Funds for Rare Disorder
The sixth annual AHCF Chicago Walk was held at Paulus Park on Sept. 18.
By Josh Katzman
On Sept. 18, family and friends turned out for the sixth annual AHCF Chicago Walk in Paulus Park. Alternating hemiplegia of childhood is a rare neurological disorder. There are just four or five children in the area known to have it and only about 600 who have been diagnosed with it worldwide.
The walk-athon in Lake Zurich is one of four across the country that is coordinated by families of children with AHC. The other locations include Raleigh, N.C. (held Sept. 10), East Lansing, Mich., (Sept. 23) and Neola, Iowa (Oct.1). The Chicago area walk was started by the godparents of 9-year-old Emma Platt of Mount Prospect, who has AHC. Gene and Kelly Andrasco and their 10-year-old daughter Kiley, who also has AHC, are organizers of the event along with Emma’s parents, Andy and Vicky. (more…)
Raleigh Families Raise $20,000 to Find the Cure for Rare Neurological Children’s Disease
Raleigh, September 20, 2011 – On Sept. 10, more than 120 Raleigh families and friends gathered at the Rolesville Ball Field, behind Rolesville Elementary School for the second annual Raleigh Walk 2011 and 5K race to help find the cure for Alternating Hemiplegia of Childhood (AHC). Matthew Wuchich, 4, and Kaylin Wimbush, 2 1/2, were the guests of honor at the event which raised $20,000 in cash & donations which will help to fund the next phase of research on the cause of AHC. (more…)
Sixth Annual AHC Walkathon Slated for Sunday
On Sept. 18, the sixth annual 2011 Chicago Walk for AHC will be held at Paulus Park from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m.
The walk is a fundraising and awareness-raising event organized largely by parents, relatives and friends of children who are afflicted with AHC, or alternating hemiplegia of childhood, a neurological disorder that’s so rare, there are only three or four children in the surrounding area who are known to have it. http://lakezurich.patch.com/articles/sixth-annual-ahc-walkathon-slated-for-sunday
Grant Allows Rolesville Charity to Grow, Lets Research Progress
Paralysis can strike Rolesville preschooler Matthew Wuchich at any time.
There is no visible warning, but the 4-year old can sense when it’s coming. Just before the seizure shuts down one side of his body, Matthew looks down.
“Bye-bye, arm,” he says.
Matthew was born with alternating hemiplegia of childhood, a permanent disorder that causes temporary paralysis of one or more limbs that can last minutes or days. His big brown eyes helped win the nonprofit AHC Foundation $250,000 in the online Pepsi Refresh grant competition last year.
Read the full article at northraleighnews.com
Yorktown Girl Battles with Rare Childhood Illness
From bowling to baseball, from sitting in a classroom to learning how to text, Lisa Marie Hodes has the same experiences many 10-year-olds have growing up in 2011.
Those experiences, which may seem simple and rudimentary for most children, do not come as easily to Lisa, who suffers from alternating hemiplegia of childhood (AHC), a childhood illness that has affected one-in-one million births over the last few years.
North County News article (PDF format)
Kiley Smiles Through Rigors of Rare Disorder
Like many other families, the Andrascos of Lake Zurich enjoyed their Christmas holiday. Their 11-year-old son Ryan and nine-year-old daughter, Kiley enjoyed their time off from school, although Kiley likes school so much that she was happy to return after the New Year.
“I got an iPod for this year,” Kiley said. Considering how much she enjoys music, it’s a gift that she will undoubtedly enjoy. “I can sing with my new microphone, too.”
Read the Full Article at the Lake Zurich Patch
Rolesville boy, 3, helps land 250K Pepsi grant
A 3-year-old Rolesville boy has helped spur a national nonprofit organization to victory in an online grant competition worth $250,000.
Matthew Wuchich, 3, was diagnosed with alternating hemiplegia of childhood when he was 18 months old. He appears in a promotional video for the AHC Foundation, which just won November’s Pepsi Refresh competition.
Read the full article at the News Observer
Determined Family Seeks Cause, Cure for Child’s Disease
A Rolesville boy with a rare disease has a chance at something almost as unlikely.
Matthew Wuchich’s parents are willing to do almost anything to increase awareness and research funding for AHC, or alternating hemiplegia of childhood.
Family Desperate For Votes Seeks Grant To Fund Research For Young Child With Rare Disorder
A Rolesville, NC family is hoping to win the Pepsi Refresh Project that could help to find a cure for a rare neurological disorder for which there is no current cure. Matthew Wuchich, age 3, was diagnosed with Alternating Hemiplegia of Childhood or AHC when he was 18 months old. Winning the grant is important to the family and to others with the disease since rare diseases often are overlooked by more common ailments.
