The mother of a Harker Heights teenager battling a rare brain disease is asking the public to become more aware of the disorder that she said will take her son's life.

Rodney Snowden, 18, suffers from Dandy-Walker Syndrome, a malformation of the brain, said his mother, LeaAnn Snowden.

The single parent of two teens struggles to find a way to get help for her son, she said. With no medical insurance and doctors unsure of how to treat the disease, Mrs. Snowden said, the path to finding the help her son needs is hard to navigate. But she is not giving up.

"I want people to be aware of this disease -- that it does exist, and it is hard to diagnose and know how to treat."

Anyone wishing to help the Snowdens may donate to an account at Extraco Bank, 100 W. Central Texas Expressway, Killeen. Phone (254) 200-3600.