LITTLE JONATHAN INSPIRATION FOR MARATHON RUN.Byline: Sharon Cotal Staff Writer SAUGUS - Bela Denkinger of Saugus has participated in the Los Angeles Marathon The Los Angeles Marathon is an annual marathon held in Los Angeles, California since 1986. It was inspired by the success of the 1984 Summer Olympics held in Los Angeles. The race starts at about 8:15AM and runs through Downtown Los Angeles, Koreatown, the Crenshaw district, and before, but this year he will be running in honor of his son, Jonathan, and raising money for the Hydrocephalus hydrocephalus (hī'drəsĕf`ələs), also known as water on the brain, developmental (congenital) or acquired condition in which there is an abnormal accumulation of body fluids within the skull. Association. Jonathan was born in 1993 and was diagnosed with hydrocephalus, once known as ``water on the brain.'' He had a shunt To divert, switch or bypass. implanted to drain off the excess fluid, and is now an active kindergartner kin·der·gart·ner also kin·der·gar·ten·er n. 1. A child who attends kindergarten. 2. A teacher in a kindergarten. at Highlands Elementary School Highlands Elementary School may refer to:
Denkinger and family friend Beth Oliva, who is also Jonathan's godmother, will run the marathon as members of TEAM Hydrocephalus/Los Angeles, because they feel it is a good cause and they want to increase public awareness about the condition. The Hydrocephalus Association is based in San Francisco San Francisco (săn frănsĭs`kō), city (1990 pop. 723,959), coextensive with San Francisco co., W Calif., on the tip of a peninsula between the Pacific Ocean and San Francisco Bay, which are connected by the strait known as the Golden , and TEAM Hydrocephalus was created in 1994 as a way to raise money to support the services and programs of the organization. Denkinger and Oliva created TEAM Hydrocephalus/Los Angeles to expand the association's fund-raising efforts into the Los Angeles area. ``My wife (Karen) and I joined the association when Jonathan was diagnosed, but this is the first time we've tried to raise any money because most of the events are in San Francisco,'' Denkinger said. ``They didn't have a team in the L.A. area, so Beth and I thought it would be a good idea to start one down here. ``I'm doing this in honor of my son, Jonathan, and to let people know that this condition exists but that it doesn't keep a person from leading a normal life,'' he said. The money raised by Denkinger and Oliva will be used to support an outreach program of the Hydrocephalus Association that provides free resources and educational materials to parents of children born with the condition and to people with Adult Onset Normal Pressure hydrocephalus normal pressure hydrocephalus n. A hydrocephalic condition in which the spinal fluid pressure remains normal, resulting from the inability of the arachnoid granulations to absorb cerebrospinal fluid, and characterized by progressive dementia. . Those wishing to sponsor either Denkinger or Oliva in their marathon run March 5 can mail a check to the Hydrocephalus Association, 870 Market St., Suite 705, San Francisco, CA 94102. Put the name of the runner you are sponsoring in the memo section of the check to show sponsorship of TEAM Hydrocephalus/Los Angeles. The Hydrocephalus Association is a nonprofit organization Nonprofit Organization An association that is given tax-free status. Donations to a non-profit organization are often tax deductible as well. Notes: Examples of non-profit organizations are charities, hospitals and schools. , and all donations are tax-deductible. For more information about the Hydrocephalus Association, call (888) 598-3789 or visit its Web site at www.hydroassoc.org. CAPTION(S): photo Photo: Bela Denkinger, here with wife Karen and sons Jonathan, 6, and Matthew, 1, will run in the Los Angeles Marathon to raise money for the Hydrocephalus Association. |
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