HORSEHEADS, N.Y. (18 NEWS) – Imagine having more surgeries than you are years old. That’s exactly what 19-year-old Isabella Sacharczyk has gone through, 23 times, in her brain.

“It’s very, very hard, to be honest with you, I didn’t let her sleep by herself until she was 16,” Denise Sacharczyk, Isabella’s mother, said. “I was scared to death that something would happen while she was sleeping.”

Hyrocephalus is the neurological condition Isabella was born with. It’s caused by too much fluid pressing on the brain. She has two medical devices, known as shunts, put into her brain, to drain excess fluids.

October will mark four years Isabella has been surgery free.

“It feels great, because I went a good six years with at least having one surgery a year, and as a little seventh grader, I missed three months of school that year,” Isabella Sacharczyk, said.

Today also marks four years of fundraising for “Bella’s Journey”. Isabella and some of her family flew from their home state, Massachusetts, to fundraise here, in Horseheads, where most of her family resides.

This annual “Bella’s Journey” event is a fundraiser for education and research for Hydrocephalus.

A 60 miles motorcycle ride is the newest addition to this annual event.

“A lot of motorcycles get together for a lot of charity rides like this because there are so many negative things in the world being said about motorcyclists and I think it’s a good thing that all these people, a nice group of people are getting together and doing a charity ride for a common cause,” Olavs Ozolins, road captain at the Finger Lakes New York H.O.G. group, said.

“Just the love of children, you know, whatever we can do to help is great,” Hazel Hall, a member of the Finger Lakes New York H.O.G. group, said. “As we’re out riding, it seems like everybody waves at us, toots at us, you know, it makes us feel real welcomed.”

Isabella is now studying for her doctorates to become a medical researcher.

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HORSEHEADS, N.Y. (WENY) – Raymour and Flanigan is partnering with the Pediatric Hydrocephalus Foundation to host the 4th annual “Bella’s Journey” Fundraiser event.

The event is happening today at Raymour and Flanigan in Horseheads from 12-4 pm. The event is for 19-year-old Bella Sacharczyk, who is living with Pediatric Hydrocephalu also known as, PHF. Bella is a survivor of 23 brain surgeries, her mission is to raise awareness and money to fund research projects for the disease. “Bella’s Journey” has resulted in $25,000 being raised in research grants over the last 3 years. The fundraiser is open to the public and is kid friendly.

There will be food, baked goods, raffles, kids games, a bounce house, music and much more. There is also a new 60 mile Motorcycle ride that has been added to this year’s fundraiser.

If you want to know more about the condition, click here.

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