Michael Angelo Franco

ABM-1A

Social media helps save the life of Canberra teenager

Much is made about the dangers and pitfalls of social media, but one Canberra mother is
convinced Facebook helped save her daughter's life.Late one Friday night last year Ellie Miller
received the results of her daughter Asha's MRI scan and was horrified.

It found Asha was suffering from Chiari Malformation, a rare neurological condition in
which the bottom of the brain descends out of the skull and crowds the spinal cord, putting
pressure on both the brain and spine.

Symptoms include severe headaches, blurred vision, dizziness and even severe pain felt
when laughing or sneezing. If left untreated, it can cause paralysis, permanent disability and, in
some cases, death,Ms Miller, a nurse, had heard of Chiari Malformation but never come across it
over the course of her career. So that Friday night, she went online to find a support group. She
quickly found the Chiari and Syringomyelia Australia Facebook group and connected with one
of its administrators, Queanbeyan woman Trysh Logan Jones.

"Within hours, I had support, I had several recommendations and I had options," she
said.A key recommendation was that she get in contact with a leading specialist at the Macquarie
University Hospital."Within a week, Asha was in hospital for the first procedure to have a look
at the inter-cranial pressure and within a couple of weeks, had surgery," Ms Miller said."Trysh
was there with us every moment."

It turned out Ms Logan Jones had the same surgery just two months before Asha and was
able to advise her on what to expect. The major surgery removes part of the skull and spine to
make room for the brain. It does not require the head to be shaved, so Asha dyed her hair blue for
the occasion. She had 34 staples in her head as a result of the surgery.Ms Miller drew on her
mortgage to pay for the surgery and ongoing costs. Extensive rehabilitation followed, and
continues, including physiotherapy and hydrotherapy.The whole journey also forged a strong
friendship between Ms Logan Jones, 48, and Asha, 16. They told their story as September is
Chiari Malformation Information Month."Trysh has been an amazing support to me throughout
the entire process," Asha said." Even as I was going into surgery, she sent a text to mum and it
made me feel so happy and confident and I wasn't worried at all."Ms Miller is convinced Ms
Logan Jones– and finding her through Facebook – helped save Asha's life."I think she did. She
made the whole process so much easier than it could have been," she said."There was a lot of
pressure in Asha's brain and the surgeon said it was just a matter of time before things became
critical, with permanent damage."Ms Logan Jones and Asha will never be cured of their
condition. But their quality of life has been improved. The headaches and migraines are gone.
But further surgery could be required in the future.

In the meantime, Ms Logan Jones said she works to ensure the Facebook support group is
a safe place where patients and their families can ask questions and speak their mind in a
respectful environment."You don't feel alone," she said.Canberra teenager Asha Miller after
major brain surgery last year to help address the neurological disorder Chiari Malformation. The
surgery did not require her to have her head shaved, so she dyed her hair blue for the occasion.
She had 34 staples as a result of the surgery. Photo: Supplied

Ms Miller, a nurse, had heard of Chiari Malformation but never come across it over the
course of her career. So that Friday night, she went online to find a support group.She quickly
found the Chiari and Syringomyelia Australia Facebook group and connected with one of its
administrators, Queanbeyan woman Trysh Logan Jones.

This news shows how helpful social media can be. It can help others and can also make a change in their

lives. Just like what happened to a teenage girl in Canberra. Her life was saved through the help of

facebook. A nurse went online to find some support group and quickly found supports and

recommendations. That proves that media can be helpful and it directly benefits those who need opinions,

recommendations and even help.

1. The use of social media become helpful. It helped a teenager to find some support and

recommendations in order to recover from her neurological condition.

2. This media is very important in this event because media became a way to save a

teenager’s life.

3. The outcome was a positive change.

Sources:

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/canberra-life/social-media-helps-

save-the-life-of-canberra-teenager-20160922-grlstq.html