As the upbeat music played and bright blue decorations stood out against the green fields and cloudy skies, hundreds of people came together to take part in the 20th Denver Walk to End Hydrocephalus.

For the last two decades, the event has become an opportunity to build a community of support and advocacy. 

At Redstone Park in Highlands Ranch in early September, participants walked from booth to booth wearing a sign that showed the name of someone they were walking for.

In 2003, Phyllis and John Rogers thought they were going to lose their daughter, Jordan. 

Jordan had five brain surgeries within three weeks and was diagnosed with hydrocephalus. 

Hydrocephalus is a neurological condition caused by an abnormal amount of cerebrospinal fluid within the ventricles of the brain. 

The brain and spinal cord is surrounded by fluid, which acts as a cushion to help prevent injury and the fluid is typically absorbed into the bloodstream. 

The condition occurs when there is an imbalance between the amount of cerebrospinal fluid being produced and the rate at which it is absorbed. When the fluid begins to build up, the ventricles in the brain enlarge and create pressure inside the head. 

Phyllis, a WALK Administrator and Support Specialist for the Hydrocephalus Association, said this medical condition is not as rare as many think.

According to the Hydrocephalus Association, hydrocephalus affects more than one million Americans and is diagnosed in people from infancy to the elderly. 

As there is no cure for the condition, the goal of the walk each year is to raise money to help find answers and improve the lives of those affected by hydrocephalus. 

The only known treatment is brain surgery, the most common being a shunt placed in the brain to drain the fluid to a different part of the body. Many individuals can go through multiple brain surgeries. 

The Hydrocephalus Association first became an organization in 1983 as a parent support group, but now has a national presence. 

The nonprofit provides educational resources, advocacy and support and has fought for legislation that increases federal research dollars for hydrocephalus. 

After Jordan was diagnosed with the chronic condition, her parents, along with their neighbors and closet friends sat on the back deck thinking about what they could do to help. 

Knowing the Hydrocephalus Association had a walk in San Francisco to raise money for research, Phyllis and her friends - who she calls family - believed they could do the same and held their first walk in 2004. 

20 years later, people from across the Denver metro area come to take part in the walk, raising over $1 million for the cause. 

“I can’t tell you how proud I am of my family,” said Jordan. 

With tears forming in her eyes, Jordan said she is proud that her family could bring so many people together in support of not only her but for others with the condition. 

This year, the walk included more than 40 teams from corporations, organizations and families statewide. 

Before the American Legion Post 1261 began the opening ceremony, the event involved face painting, a T-shirt contest, a team photo space, a raffle, a flu shot sponsored by Walgreens and more. 

Participants started the 5K walk by walking by the memorial garden and through ambassador avenue, which included posters of people at the event with hydrocephalus. 

Those who have hydrocephalus were given red bandanas as a way to help families connect with one another and talk about their experiences.

“It means a lot to everybody’s family to have a sense of community here,” said Jordan. “I think the fact that we’ve all done it for so long is just a testament to everybody’s character and close to our hearts.”