Come join us for our, 6th annual, BWS Fundraiser. Help raise money for the Beckwith-Wiedemann Children's Foundation, while having fun! We will have many contests, a bake raffle,  volleyball tournament, a HUGE raffle, and prizes for everyone. There will be awesome goody bags for the first 100 people!! 

Rock-N-DJ will be there to provide music during the whole event, as well as lots of food available for a free will donation. 

 What is BWS?

Beckwith-Wiedemann Syndrome is an overgrowth syndrome. BWS is named for the physicians who first described the association of the body overgrowth (increased birth weight, height, and head circumference), omphalocele (failure of abdominal wall closure), macroglossia (enlarged tongue), hypoglycemia, and other physical characteristics. Patients with BWS are also at an increased risk of developing certain types of cancer.
(Information from the Children’s Hospital St. Louis and Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine Pamphlet)
 
What are some of the Characteristics of BWS?
Children with BWS may have any or all of the following features, and no two individuals are exactly the same:
~ Large Birth Weight and Length - usually in the 95th percentile.
~ Hypoglycemia - Low blood sugar in the newborn period. If it is not caught, it can lead to brain damage.
~ Macroglossia - Large tongue, it protrudes out of their mouth.
~Maloclussion - Teeth that are abnormally spaced, it could lead to jaw deformity.
~Omphalocele - Abdominal wall closure problem. The intestines protrude out of the stomach in a membrane covered sac. Surgery is required very shortly after birth.
~ Hemihyperplasia/Hemihypertrophy - One side of the body can grow larger, as the other side grows normally.
~ Ear grooves or pits - Ear grooves look like little creases on the front of the ear. Ear pits look like little holes on the side of the ear.
~ Nevus Flammeus - A strawberry mark commonly found on the forehead and eyelids, sometimes called a “stork bite.”

 What other issues go along with BWS?
With BWS, there are certain kidney related issues that may occur.
~ Wilms Tumor - Wilms’ Tumor is a disease in which cancer cells are found in certain parts of the kidney.
~Medullary Sponge Kidney - A rare abnormality of the small drainage tubes in the kidney.
~ Diabetes Insipidus - A symptom in which kidneys produce abnormally large volumes of urine.

Are there certain types of testing BWS children have to go through as they grow up?
Children with BWS have to get abdominal ultrasounds every 3 months and blood work every 6 weeks, until the age of 8 years. This is to help detect early identification of cancer. The earlier the cancer is found, the better chance for survival.

For more information:
www.beckwith-wiedemannsyndrome.org

All monetary and raffle donations can be mailed to:

AndrewsCause
2789 S. 700 W.
Reynolds, In 47980

Please make checks payable to: The BWCF
If an item is too big to be mailed, please contact Natasha at andrewscause@yahoo.com to arrange for a pick up.


Make sure to sign our guestbook to let us know you were here!
Also, don't forget to check out all the tabs, for pictures, an inspirational story, the businesses/people who donated, and much more!!!

We hope to see you at the Fundraiser in June!