Reef's Run for Hydrocephalus Awareness in Lake Tahoe Sunday

A 2.5-mile fun run (and stroll) will be held on the South Shore Sunday, September 9 to raise awareness of Hydrocephalus, a condition most have never heard of yet it affects over one million people in the United States.

Runners (and walkers) will start at Shoreline of Tahoe on Kahle Drive in Stateline and end at Round Hill Pines Beach Resort. The cost is $40 for those 15 and older, $20 for kids 14 and under. Those running the course will start at 8:30 a.m., and walkers/strollers start at 8:45 a.m.

Costumes and tutus are encouraged, as well as the wearing of "Hydrocephalus Blue."

At the finish there will be a celebration including dozens of auction items, music with a DJ, food, coffee and a beer from Firestone. There will also be a photo op with a celebratory plunge into Lake Tahoe. All participants will also get a t-shirt.

All funds will go to charitable foundations actively searching for a cure for hydrocephalus.

Reef Woldt, the namesake of the run, was born nine weeks early at Barton Memorial Hospital in South Lake Tahoe on June 17, 2016. His parents, Sarah and Eric, had to take him immediately to UCDavis Children's Hospital where they spent the next 62 days as Reef faced many issues including jaundice, severe Respiratory Distress Syndrome (RDS), Pulmonary Hypertension, an emergency chest tube for a hole in his lung, two holes in his heart (both closed), two blood transfusions among several others.

He was then diagnosed with Hydrocephalus, an abnormal accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) that causes the ventricles in the brain to become enlarge and the only treatment is brain surgery where a shunt is placed to drain the excess spinal fluid.

In his first two years of life Reef has also undergone six brain surgeries, the first coming on July 13, 2016 and the most recent on November 28, 2017.

"This unique event will spread smiles, a sense of community and a winning spirit," said Reef's mom Sarah in a press release. "This event will not only raise awareness for Hydrocephalus, which affects 1-2 in every 1,000 babies born, but it will also raise funds to support research for a much needed cure. As brain surgery remains the only treatment for Hydrocephalus, approximately 40,000 operations are performed annually, which equates to one every 15 minutes!"

Reef's grandmother Grace owns Cakes by Grace in Stateline and several other local sponsors are participating in Reef's Run including Tahoe Douglas Rotary, Round Hill Pines Beach Resort, Shoreline of Tahoe, Prescott & Lowther Insurance Agency, Crystal Dairy, Getaway Reno/Tahoe, Meek's Lumber and Tahoe Blue Vodka.

Register HERE.

For more information: https://www.reefsrun.com/.