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Niekros and the

GoingKnuckle to Bat for Aneurysm Research Ball:

By Denny Angelle and Gale Smith Yankees and pitched for the Twins in the 1987 World Natalie, who lives in Scottsdale, Arizona, is traveling The Methodist Hospital . He retired the next year to end a 22-year to Houston more often since creating the Joe Niekro career with 221 wins, making him one of the most Foundation. She is rapidly learning about the work successful of all time. that Methodist doctors and researchers are doing When Natalie Niekro was a little girl, she often to better understand brain aneurysms. accompanied her dad to work, where she played But like a knuckleball, life can take an unpredictable with the kids of his co-workers in the world’s path. In 2006, just as Natalie and her family were Joe Niekro was one of the approximately 30,000 biggest playground. With the crunch of turf under making preparations for her wedding, her father Americans to experience a brain aneurysm that their feet, they played in the cavernous Houston Joe died of a brain aneurysm. bursts, usually resulting in sudden death. As Astrodome while their fathers worked nearby. many as one in 15 people in the United States will “Dad always looked for the other guy — a develop a brain aneurysm. Natalie and her playmates shared some of the teammate, a friend, a family member,” recalls most renowned last names in Houston sports Natalie. “He was never too tired or too busy to Cerebral aneurysms are caused by a weak spot history — Niekro, Ryan and Cruz, among others avoid helping other people.” in a blood vessel that balloons as it fills with — but if she had any sense that any of this was blood. It can occur in anyone at any age, but it unusual, it was only that she felt they all belonged So, in her father’s memory, Natalie has set up an is more common in women than men, in adults to a close and very large family. organization with the goal of educating people than in children. about brain aneurysms. Through the Joe Niekro “Those Astros were more than just a team,” she Foundation, she also aims to support aneurysm The Methodist Hospital treats more patients with recalls. “They were a brotherhood.” patients and their families, as well as to raise brain aneurysms than does any other hospital funds to help research into this almost-always- in the region. Dr. Richard Klucznik is the director Natalie’s father, Joe Niekro, was one of the fatal condition. of Methodist’s Brain Aneurysm Center and an greatest pitchers in history. During interventional neuroradiologist who uses minimally- his 13 years in Houston, he became the team’s She chose to work with The Methodist Hospital invasive techniques to treat brain aneurysms. first 20-game winner and led the Astros to their and its Neurological Institute, where doctors see first playoff berth. Even today, he remains the all- and treat aneurysm patients and conduct research. Klucznik was part of a team at Methodist that time-leader in wins among Astros pitchers. And she plans to kick off the fundraising with an studied and perfected a technique to close brain appropriately named event. aneurysms in the early 1990s. Physicians thread At the peak of his career, Niekro was famous — a wire from a small incision in the leg to the site and feared — for his command of the knuckleball, “The Knuckle Ball … A for Life” will be held of the aneurysm. The wire coils into the aneurysm, a crazy corkscrew of a pitch that befuddles hitters on Monday, Sept. 22, at Minute Maid Park. A filling it and stabilizing the weakened vessel. and alike. number of Astros players from past and present will be on hand to help Natalie, her uncle Phil and “For years, we’ve used platinum coils but lately After leaving the Astros, Niekro played for the others raise funds for brain aneurysm research. we’ve seen a trend in the use of bioactive coils to

150 Natalie Niekro, center, is preparing “The Knuckle Ball … A Pitch For Life,” in memory of her late father, former Astros Joe Niekro. Funds raised by the event will benefit brain aneurysm research conducted by physicians at The Methodist Hospital, including (from left) neurosurgeon Dr. Todd Trask, interventional neuroradiologist Dr. Richard Klucznik and neurosurgeon Dr. James Rose.

“Dad always looked out for the other guy — a teammate, a friend, a family member,”

promote healing and better blood clotting,” Klucznik continually making changes to better manage says. “With this kind of technology we may be able patient recovery.” to offer patients a more permanent cure.” There is plenty of work to be done before Natalie To learn more about “The Knuckle Many people with brain aneurysms can go through Niekro’s first “Knuckle Ball” in September. She is Ball” and how to get tickets, go to life undiagnosed, but a rupture can cause serious spending time with Klucznik and other doctors at www.joeniekrofoundation.org or call trouble, including sudden, severe headaches; Methodist. She is enlisting the help and participation 832-667-5856. numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg; of many of her father’s teammates and fellow trouble speaking; vision problems; and sudden players, including , , Jimmy nausea and vomiting. Smoking, family history, Wynn, and others. And there is one diabetes and high blood pressure can also lead person who will most certainly be there: Joe’s to a higher risk of cerebral aneurysms. brother, .

Dr. Todd Trask, a neurosurgeon with the Phil is a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame in Methodist Neurological Institute, specializes in recognition of his years with the treating cerebral aneurysms. “Everything we do and other teams. The Niekro brothers at Methodist centers around understanding each combined for 539 wins over their patient’s situation and providing a rapid response respective careers, making them the that will best mitigate the damages caused by an most successful brother-combination aneurysm,” he says. “Any time there’s a rupture, in Major League history. we have a more immediate threat.” And they both figure into one If a rupture cannot be closed with a minimally- of baseball’s most interesting invasive procedure, Trask may recommend statistics: In his two-decade surgery, which involves “clipping” the aneurysm. career, Joe Niekro only one To do this, the neurosurgeon opens the skull and . Guess who threw him directly places a small clip across the neck of the the pitch? aneurysm to stop or prevent further bleeding. “There was some bragging after “Treatment is continually evolving as our that,” recalls Natalie Niekro. “Phil understanding improves about the natural may be in the Hall of Fame, but my history of aneurysms. We’ve improved surgical dad always said he had two things Phil techniques, as well as imaging to see the didn’t: a ring and a home location of the clip,” explains Trask. “We’re run off his brother.”

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