Hoppo’s Adventure in the Rockies

Just4Children are fundraising to send Jacob to Denver, Colorado for stem cell transplantation treatment to enhance his motor functions and brain development.
£1833
Total raised
12%
£15,000.00
Target
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51 donations

Hoppo’s Adventure in the Rockies

Just4Children are fundraising to help Jacob undergo stem cell therapy in Denver, Colorado to enhance his motor functions and brain development

Jacob was born at 30 weeks when Michelle went very suddenly into premature labour. Whilst all the early birthing signs were normal, after being in hospital for 7 weeks, we found out that Jacob had suffered PVL, a severe form of white brain matter damage, resulting from a lack of blood flow and oxygen to the brain, leaving him with severe quadriplegic cerebral palsy, with little control over all four limbs, nonverbal and partially sighted with cortical visual impairment.

Stem cell transplantation is a regenerative therapy that has the potential to replace the damaged and non-functional cells in the brains of patients with cerebral palsy, as well as to provide support to the remaining neurons and oligodendrocytes.

The treatment involves several steps, beginning with extracting stem cells from Jacob. This is done by extracting fat from Jacob through liposuction, and then isolating the stem cells. These are then harvested to multiply several-fold, frozen and stored, to be used on several occasions at a later date.

Our hope is that by harvesting Jacobs healthy stem cells and transplanting these back in, these stem cells will help accelerate all the work we’re doing with Jacob to support his movement, development and communication.

But the treatment is not cheap, and it’s not available on the NHS either, which is why we need to go to the US and we need to raise £15,000 for Just4Children.

To do this, I’ll be attempting the Three Peaks Challenge. The Three Peaks are Scafell Pike, Ben Nevis and Snowdon – the highest mountains in England, Scotland and Wales, and the challenge is to climb each of them, one after another, and all in 24 hours!

The plan is to start with the biggest, Ben Nevis, then head to Scarfell Pike, before finishing up at Snowden. If all goes to plan, we should complete the three hikes, and all the driving, in just under 24 hours.

For anyone who has done any hiking, they will know this is quite a challenge, so please sponsor us and help us reach our goal of £15k.

 

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