Shunts are vital in saving the lives of our members.

In order to keep our brains healthy they are encased in fluid. The fluid drains off naturally and is replaced by “new” fluid. However, in some cases the process fails. This condition is known as hydrocephalus. If not treated, this results in pressure on the brain and brain injury. A shunt is fitted to artificially carry out the process of draining our brain fluid, something most of us take for granted.

Shunts are reasonably inexpensive and vary in types but since their invention in the early 1960s they have literally saved millions of lives. Most babies and children who developed hydrocephalus prior to this date would have died at an early age.

However, fitting a shunt is only the beginning of treatment and support. Every day Shine works to support people who have complications with their shunt. In some cases, where acute shunt failure occurs, there is only a short space of time to ensure that this is not fatal. We ensure that people know how to alert the correct specialist immediately, enabling infections to be treated or to perform the specialist surgery required to fit a new shunt. We also offer advice to parents on how to spot the signs in their child that a shunt may be malfunctioning.

Shine has around 8,500 members with hydrocephalus, all of whom are offered a Shine “Shunt Alert” card to keep about their person. The card provides essential information about our member should anything happen to them and can literally save their lives. We also produce a similar ‘shunt passport’ which can be used when travelling abroad.

Benny Bear, one of Shine’s mascot, is a bear who himself has a ‘pretend’ shunt. Benny and a Shine worker regularly visit schools with students that have a shunt fitted. This gives their classmates and teachers an insight into the function of a shunt and how they can support their friend with hydrocephalus.

Each year there are cases where a child’s shunt fails and help arrives too late. In these cases we are able to offer counselling  and support to their parents and families through the difficult process of coping with their loss.

The balloons will be launched on the 18th May from the grounds of Peterborough Cathedral to coincide with Shine’s joint fundraising event - an abseil down the side of the Cathedral!