Sixteen-year-old Karmen Reeves can tell you the exact day her life changed: “It was Sept. 1, 2019, at the Mariposa County Fair. I was on the Hammer ride with a friend and I just went out.” 

Over the next year, Karmen struggled to find out why she was "going out," or fainting, 10 to 15 times a day. Karmen and her mom visited cardiologists, neurologists and psychiatrists both in the Central Valley and at Stanford University Medical Center. Finally, a friend who also suffered frequent blackouts suggested they visit her neurologist at Community, Dr. Timothy Foster, who diagnosed Karmen with an often-misdiagnosed condition called dysautonomia.

Without local experts like Dr. Foster, Karmen may not have found the answers she needed. 

That’s why, with your help, Community is working to build the Bob Smittcamp Family Neurosciences Institute and bring more neurological specialists to the area, so patients can get access to the specialty care they need, right here in the Valley.