Hi everyone,
My name is Olivia Montesano and when I was twelve my AVM ruptured at school and I was rushed to the hospital. Since then, I’ve struggled with how to give back to the community that carried me through the hardest moment in my life. I want to turn my experiences into something better. What has stuck with me most since the day of my brain bleed, was the fact that my school nurse didn’t recognize my symptoms, she didn’t even know was an AVM was. Since AVMs are one of the main causes of brain bleeds in children, and they spend most of their time in school, I thought that it would be a great opportunity to educate school nurses about information on AVMs. So, I started a foundation called AVM Aware. It’s a simple initiative with a big goal : to make sure school nurses are aware of the signs of an AVM brain bleed. I am about to go on my very first school visit (the school where my accident happened), where I’ll sit down with the school nurse and talk about what happened to me, what symptoms to be aware of, and why it is crucial to be aware in general. My hope is that by share my story, others will feel inspired to do the same. Whether it’s talking to a nurse, educating a friend, or just making sure that people know what to look for, awareness is very important. As a community of AVM Survivors, we are strong and resilient. We can take our experiences and possibly prevent others from having to go through the same. I know AVM Aware isn’t a big organization, but it’s about starting conversations that can hopefully save lives. If you’ve been through something similar, I would love for you to join me in this. Talk to your school nurse, share your story, or just spread the word. Anything makes a difference.
AVM Aware on Instagram: @avm_aware or visit our website avmaware.com
Wishing you all the very best,
Olivia