Three Generations Impacted by Aneurysm

Annie’s story

In the middle of the night on October 12, 2021, Annie woke to find something was terribly wrong. She had no feeling in her limbs.

Her parents, Greg and Carol, called an ambulance – but it wasn’t until hours later that a doctor finally sent Annie for a CT scan. What happened next is burned into her memory.

“The doctor shut the curtains, put her hand on my leg, and said, ‘Annie, you have a massive bleed on your brain,’” Annie recalls. She was just 21 years old.

She was rushed to Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, where neurosurgeon and Brain Foundation research grant recipient Dr Craig Winter performed emergency surgery. Thankfully, he was able to clip the ruptured aneurysm, but what he discovered came as a shock to everyone.

Initially, Annie remained stable. But just sixteen days later, the family received more devastating news – a second aneurysm had ruptured. 

This time it was a lot worse, and she was placed into a coma and on life support. 

“We weren’t giving up hope, but we were worried,” Greg says. “One night, they said she’s having a massive vasospasm. They actually told us that she was brain dead. She was gone… she was gone. And oh, we were just… you can’t imagine that news.”

Then one night, after months unresponsive, something incredible happened. Annie squeezed her father’s hand. And a few days later, she woke up.

At first, Annie was fragile – unable to talk, walk, or eat properly. But after a procedure to relieve pressure in her brain, everything changed. She could speak to her family for the first time in three months, and her recovery continued at a staggering pace. Annie was transferred to the Brain Injury Recovery Unit, where they expected she’d need months. She was discharged in weeks.

A shocking family diagnosis

While Annie was stable, the story of the Barnett family was not over.

Because of the extreme rarity of a young person having multiple aneurysms, Dr Winter urged the entire family to get tested. The results were immediate and terrifying: both Greg and Carol had multiple aneurysms, with further cases discovered on both sides of the family.

Greg had six, three of which were dangerously close to rupturing. “We couldn’t believe it,” he says. Weeks later, Greg was in surgery, and Carol received a stent.

This wasn’t just one medical emergency – it was an entire family at risk. A genetic time-bomb no one knew existed.

Why research is absolutely critical

Today, the Barnetts are able to live relatively normal lives – a reality they never take for granted. The same medical team, powered by the kind of research you fund, saved all three of their lives.

“The neurological staff at the hospital were absolutely fantastic and world-class, and we’re lucky to have them,” Greg says.

The impact that doctors and researchers can have on a person’s life cannot be understated. Annie has hosted several fundraisers for the hospital, and together their family is dedicated to advocacy and raising awareness.

This new chapter in Annie’s life would not be possible without research. The outcome could have been catastrophic. But thanks to Dr Winter and the rest of the neurological team, today she can thrive.

The hidden danger of brain aneurysms

A brain aneurysm is a bulge that forms in the blood vessels of the brain due to a weak spot in the artery wall. While an aneurysm is intact, it rarely causes problems. If symptoms are present, they’re mostly nonspecific, such as high blood pressure or headache.

Most people never know they have one until it ruptures. And when it does, it is often too late. That’s why the Barnetts take every opportunity to raise awareness, in the hope of saving lives.

“Firstly, I want people to know what an actual aneurysm is,” Annie said. “Our family didn’t even know. I had no clue, Dad had no clue… If you have a sudden, severe headache – take it seriously. Don’t just brush it off.”