‘Brain Emergency’ Exposed in Landmark Documentary

Executive Producers: Monica Kaitz, Ted Ross

Producers: Joyce Mitchell, Sue Pearson-Atkinson

‘Brain Emergency’ is a landmark educational documentary on brain aneurysms produced by an Emmy award winning team that collectively boasts 5 Emmy awards; and many documentaries aired on both Discovery and PBS. It is a compelling journalistic piece combining life-saving medical information with inspiring personal stories, hosted by popular New York television news anchor Kaity Tong and California neurologist Dr. Rick Atkinson.

In this decade, there has been important advancement in the treatment of aneurysms, a leading cause of strokes or bleeding in the brain - America's third leading killer and number one disabler of adults. This documentary presents information on brain aneurysm, risk factors, treatment, state-of-the-art research, and newly identified prevention tools that work. But they can only work if the public is informed. Viewers will learn just what an aneurysm is, how it develops, the signs and symptoms, the risk factors and prevention strategies which include lifestyle change, medication, and surgery.

The documentary exposes these facts:

• A ticking time bomb: 3 to 5 percent of the adult population or ca. 2 million Americans have an unruptured aneurysm. Although most will never burst, predicting which ones will is crucial.
• Detonation: Every year, an estimated 30,000 of these cerebral aneurysms will rupture
• Devastation: Ruptured brain aneurysms are fatal in about 50 percent of cases.
• Action: If we apply what we now know about stroke we could prevent 50% of these devastating events from ever happening in the first place.

Monica Kaitz (former Executive Director of TAAF; and founder of The Aneurysm Foundation, the precursor foundation to TAAF) spearheaded the Brain Emergency documentary project. While launching The Aneurysm Foundation, Monica recognized a strong need for a compelling and accessible avenue to educate the public at large with objective, and medically accurate information.  She spearheaded the fundraising efforts that made production of Brain Emergency possible, and served as an Executive Producer providing direction and creative inspiration to the documentary project.

As of September 2008, Brain Emergency is in its final stages of production! TAAF will be hosting a Premier Screening on November 11th. Click here to learn more about our Brain Emergency Premier Screening and Benefit Auction Charity event.