The Sky is NOT the Limit for Brendon Cavainolo.
Brendon Cavainolo
on Space Camp
Graduation Day
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For years, FFB Jacksonville Chapter member, Brendon Cavainolo has been talking about becoming a rocket scientist when he grows up. This summer, he got to experience the time of his life at Space Camp in Huntsville, Alabama. Between learning about Apollo missions and shooting rockets, he met some wonderful kids that share his interests.
This 5th grade, 11-year-old boy is a safety patrol at Mandarin Oaks Elementary, loves science and math, and makes excellent grades. He also has X-linked Juvenile Retinoschisis which leaves him severely visually impaired but he doesn’t let this genetic retinal degenerative disorder stand in the way of his dreams.
In Space Camp he experienced many things including “weightlessness,” and the MMU (Manned Maneuvering Unit) a device that allowed astronauts to perform untethered spacewalks at a distance from the shuttle. He was also “Flight Engineer” for a simulation of the Intrepid Mission. He even learned about the first monkey in space, Miss Baker, who has a special memorial right there at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center.
He spent a day with astronaut, Robert Gibson who flew five different space shuttle missions, one of which was the first U.S. docking to the Space Station Mir. On graduation day, he proudly accepted his flight wings from Captain Gibson.
Brendon says, “I don’t want to be an astronaut, but I want to build the rockets that they fly in.” He’s already signed up to go to Space Camp again next year. This time, he will be enrolled in the Space & Robotics program.
He hopes for a cure for all eye diseases one day including his X-linked Juvenile Retinoschisis. His 2009 Jacksonville VisionWalk team, “Team Brendon,” was able to raise over $6500 and won the “Team Spirit Award” at the walk. They hope to do even better in 2010.
Definition of Juvenile X-linked Retinoschisis
Retinoschisis is a disease of the nerve tissue in the eye. It affects the retinal cells in the macula (the central fixation point of vision at the back of the eye). Retinoschisis is technically a form of macular degeneration. However there are different types of macular degeneration and many people diagnosed with macular degeneration do not have retinoschisis.
Retinoschisis is a genetic eye disease of the retina that affects the vision of men who inherit the disease from their mothers. This condition frequently starts during childhood and is officially called Juvenile X-linked Retinoschisis. Affected men inherit this trait from their mothers who carry the condition but retain normal vision.
Paraphrased from: www.kellogg.umich.edu/patientcare/conditions/retinoschisis.html
Parent’s Perspective X: From the Mom
It is sometimes VERY difficult to put into words how we feel about those we love who are challenged by retinal degenerative diseases.
Brendon’s Mom, Lisa Benz, decided that she would use technology to help spread their story in an effort to help to find a cure for retinal degenerative diseases and to interact with our community as a means of support.
Please feel free to use this YouTube link to help educate others. Thank you, Lisa B, for taking the time to bring your family's story to life. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KhZkN1LXa5A |
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