office@just4children.org
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Happy Feet for Sophia
Sophia was diagnosed at age 2 with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy and PVL. In order to help Sophia live a pain free life with no limitations Just4Children need help in raising monies for SDR surgery in the US.
Sophia is 3 and a half and lives in Co. Louth with her Mum, Dad, brother and sister. Sophia was diagnosed with Spastic Diplegic Cerebral Palsy and PVL (Periventricular Leukomalcia) of the brain just after her 2nd Birthday in 2017. Sophia has a Lordotic posture, hip subluxion, poor trunk control, and poor balance with abnormal gait and spasticity in both her legs.
Sophia has many struggles with her balance and with walking. She has very low endurance and therefore tires a lot. She struggles with a lot of daily things that you or I would take for granted, like climbing stairs, getting dressed and walking.
Sophia has to do physio every day, along with wearing AFO braces on both legs, a special Lymed garment for 7 hours everyday to help with posture just to name a few.
She falls 3-4 times a day with some falls being quite hard. In addition, she has a poor gait and poor endurance which is only going to get worse as she ages. And, not forgetting with spasticity can come painful spasms and deformities.
Shortly after her diagnosis we came across this revolutionary surgery in America called Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy SDR, which is performed by the world’s top Neurosurgeon Dr. T. S. Park in St. Louis’s Children’s Hospital Missouri. So, in September 2017 we applied for an assessment. We met with Dr. T. S. Park in April 2018 in Ballsbridge Dublin who advised that Sophia would be an excellent candidate for the surgery.
We have now finally been given the green light for the surgery. Dr. Park predicts that Sophia will walk better, with straight legs, have better balance and posture, and be able to play ALL recreational sports of which she cannot currently do.
However, this is where Sophia needs your help. The surgery and 2 year aftercare, along with equipment, costs a huge amount of money and therefore we need help to raise these funds.
Sophia is such a happy girl full of character and we just want to give her the best life possible.
