The first time I ever heard of an AVM was the day our daughter, Kayln, ended up in the ICU. The neurologist explained that an arteriovenous malformation (AVM) is a complex tangle of abnormal arteries and veins, and that the AVM in her brain had ruptured. We were heartbroken as we realized that it was too late to help her. Kayln had suffered from many health problems but the cause went undiscovered, as often happens with rare diseases. In the U.S., only 18 in 100,000 people are affected, so a lack of awareness means that AVMs often go undiagnosed. We want to help increase awareness so that others do not experience this, because she was not just a statistic, she was my daughter. I miss her every day.