II 

117TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 852 

To provide for further comprehensive research at the National Institute of 

Neurological Disorders and Stroke on unruptured intracranial aneurysms. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MARCH 18, 2021 

Mr. BLUMENTHAL introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 

referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions 

A BILL 

To provide for further comprehensive research at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke 

on unruptured intracranial aneurysms. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Ellie Helton, Lisa 

5 Colagrossi, Kristen Shafer Englert, Teresa Anne Law6 rence, and Jennifer Sedney Focused Research Act’’ or 

7 ‘‘Ellie’s Law’’. 

8 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

9 The Congress makes the following findings: 


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1 (1) An estimated 6,500,000 people in the 

2 United States, or 1 in 50 people, have an 

3 unruptured brain aneurysm. 

4 (2) Each year, an estimated 30,000 people in 

5 the United States suffer a brain aneurysm rupture. 

6 Ruptured brain aneurysms are fatal in about 50 per7 cent of cases. Of those who survive, about 66 per8 cent suffer some permanent neurological deficit. 

9 (3) Brain aneurysms are more likely to occur in 

10 women than in men, by a 3 to 2 ratio. Ellie’s Law 

11 represents all those who have been affected and died 

12 due to a ruptured brain aneurysm, and their loved 

13 ones. People who experienced a brain aneurysm rup14 ture include the following: 

15 (A) Ellie Helton. On July 16, 2014, Ellie 

16 Helton, a vibrant, loving 14-year-old from Apex, 

17 North Carolina, passed away as a result of a 

18 ruptured aneurysm, stunning her parents, 2 sis19 ters, and many, many loved ones. A day earlier, 

20 on her second day of high school, she woke up 

21 with a terrible headache after a plum-sized an22 eurysm on her brain stem ruptured. While she 

23 suffered headaches throughout her life, she was 

24 never diagnosed. Ellie was an avid reader and 

25 excellent student, loved the arts, and was inVerDate Sep 11 2014 15:45 Apr 11, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S852.IS S852

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1 credibly creative. She had an unwavering, con2 stant love for the family and friends in her life. 

3 (B) Lisa Colagrossi. On March 20, 2015, 

4 Lisa Colagrossi—WABC Eyewitness News re5 porter, wife of 17 years, and mother of 2 

6 sons—unexpectedly passed away at the age of 

7 49 years after suffering a massive ruptured 

8 brain aneurysm. Despite experiencing one of 

9 the classic warning signs of a brain aneurysm 

10 (the ‘‘worst headache of my life’’), Lisa’s pass11 ing came as a tremendous shock to her family 

12 and friends, who did not know what a brain an13 eurysm was, let alone its signs and symptoms. 

14 She is remembered for being a loving wife, a 

15 mother, and a successful reporter, and for her 

16 love of the New York Rangers. 

17 (C) Kristen Shafer Englert. On November 

18 24, 2013, Kristen Shafer Englert, a devoted 

19 wife, mother, daughter, sister, aunt, and friend 

20 passed away from a ruptured brain aneurysm 

21 at the age of 25, just weeks after giving birth 

22 to her son. Prior to her passing, she went to the 

23 emergency room with symptoms of a brain an24 eurysm and was sent home without a scan. 

25 Kristen was a dedicated teacher who loved chilVerDate Sep 11 2014 15:45 Apr 11, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S852.IS S852

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1 dren. She was thrilled to become a mother. 

2 Sadly, she got to experience motherhood only 

3 for a few short days. Kristen’s family members 

4 have been dedicated advocates for brain aneu5 rysm awareness and research since her passing. 

6 (D) Teresa Anne Lawrence. On December 

7 8, 1983, Teresa Anne Lawrence, devoted moth8 er of 3, beloved wife, and staple of her commu9 nity, collapsed while visiting her son’s school. 

10 She had been struggling with and taking medi11 cation for hypertension for several years. At age 

12 34, after being unconscious for 4 days, she 

13 passed away as a result of a brain aneurysm. 

14 Her loving husband and extended family were 

15 left to raise their children, whom Teresa cher16 ished so much. 

17 (E) Jennifer Sedney. On December 25, 

18 2013, Jennifer Sedney, a beautiful, accom19 plished young woman, passed away suddenly at 

20 the age of 27 from a ruptured brain aneurysm. 

21 Her only symptom was the ‘‘worst headache of 

22 her life’’, which none of her friends or family 

23 realized was a symptom of a potentially fatal 

24 condition. Jenny was a jogger, a disciplined ex25 erciser, and a successful health care consultant 


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1 and had recently launched a health blog found2 ed on 3 principles—‘‘bee curious, bee radiant, 

3 bee well’’. Her brother, mother, father, and a 

4 large devoted network of friends and relatives 

5 remember her every day. 

6 (4) Brain aneurysm ruptures have a significant 

7 fiscal impact on survivors, caretakers, and the health 

8 care community. The annual estimated pre-insur9 ance direct cost of brain aneurysm ruptures to pa10 tients in the United States is approximately 

11 $1,400,000,000, and the estimated direct cost to 

12 hospitals each year is approximately 

13 $2,700,000,000. The intensive care unit length of 

14 stay is the largest driver of cost for brain aneurysm 

15 ruptures, and estimates do not reflect indirect costs, 

16 which include travel, food, childcare, and wage losses 

17 for patient and caretakers. 

18 (5) Despite the widespread prevalence of this 

19 condition and the high societal cost it imposes on the 

20 Nation, the Federal Government only spends ap21 proximately $2.08 per year on brain aneurysm re22 search for each person afflicted with a brain aneu23 rysm. 

24 (6) The first 3 iterations of the International 

25 Study on Unruptured Intracranial Aneurysms 


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1 (ISUIA) have advanced researchers’ and clinicians’ 

2 understanding of how to most effectively manage 

3 and treat unruptured intracranial aneurysms. 

4 SEC. 3. FUNDING. 

5 (a) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—To con6 duct or support further comprehensive research on 

7 unruptured intracranial aneurysms, studying a broader 

8 patient population diversified by age, sex, and race, there 

9 is authorized to be appropriated to the National Institute 

10 of Neurological Disorders and Stroke $10,000,000 for 

11 each of fiscal years 2022 through 2026, to remain avail12 able through September 30, 2029. 

13 (b) SUPPLEMENT, NOT SUPPLANT.—Any funds 

14 made available pursuant to this section shall supplement, 

15 not supplant, other funding made available for research 

16 on brain aneurysms. 

Æ 


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