My name is Michael Rizza. In April of 2015, my Jr. year of high school, I was diagnosed with a type I Chiari Malformation and syrinxes on my spinal cord. Prior to being diagnosed the doctor's office was nothing uncommon for me. Between visits for ADHD to Lymes disease and even a Scoliosis appointment or two. I had my fair share of SpongeBob stickers and games of eye spy with my mother in the waiting room. When I learned that I had Chiari I finally understood the feeling of an “Aha” moment. What life presented for 17 years as being one thing turned out to be another. In August of 2015 I had decompression surgery which changed my life. Five years later I became a pilot. I believe, with science and research, anything is possible. Please consider donating, anything helps. Thank you!
Below I attached information about the March to Conquer Chiari.
The March to Conquer Chiari is a peer to peer, on-line fundraising campaign held during the month of March to raise money for Conquer Chiari’s research programs. Using the Mightycause platform, fundraisers are given the tools they need to become Chiari Champions, Conquerors, and Heroes.
Chiari Malformation is a serious neurological disorder affecting over 300,000 children and adults in the US. It can cause severe, disabling symptoms and is devastating for families to deal with. For more information about Chiari, visit www.conquerchiari.org.
Conquer Chiari, the largest private funder of Chiari research, is a 501(c)3 public charity dedicated to improving the experiences and outcomes of Chiari patients through education, awareness, and research. To date, Conquer Chiari has funded over $4 million in Chiari research projects.