Those of you who know us, and who know Kalea (our little fighter who was born at 32wks, and eventually diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy), know that she has been involved in raising funds for many organizations that help children with disabilities - from a cash box at the LCBO to raise money for her preschool, to being part of the mail-out for March of Dimes, to having a poster-size picture in Winner's stores to raise funds for the Sunshine Foundation, to being the Easter Seals Ambassador last year!! She also just donated her long, beautiful hair to the Canadian Cancer Society! Well, this time, it's personal! We are raising money for KALEA to have lengthening surgery with a Pioneer of the non-invasive SPML procedure, Dr. Roy Nuzzo, in Summit New Jersey - he has been performing this surgery for over 30 years now. To read more about this surgery, please click on the following links...
***SPML = Selective Percutaneous
Myofascial Lengthening!!!***
This time it's Personal!
Please
Help!
To help us reach our fundraising goal, please click on the 'Donate' button above and you will be taken to a secure, personal PayPal page where you can make a donation from your own PayPal account or using your credit card. If you would like me to confirm your payment or you would like to donate by personal cheque, please send an e-mail to me using the link at the bottom of this page! Thank You!
Fundraising Goal: $26,380 to cover Surgery & Therapy
Amount Raised to Date: $14,359.00
WHY SURGERY?
Because of her CP, as Kalea grows and gets taller, her muscles continue to get tighter. This causes her to walk with her knees bent (see video to the left - she can't actually make her legs go straight!!), and her heels off the floor. It also causes her pain in her knees and legs when she walks for a longer period of time. We have tried to address this tightness over the years using Botox injections, but they are not a permanent solution, and in fact, the last treatment she received didn't help to loosen her muscles at all! It's time for a solution that will be more permanent and stop her tight muscles from pulling her body out of allignment. Dr. Nuzzo says with his non-invasive muscle lengthening surgery, Kalea will be able to learn to walk with a heel-toe step, straight legs, and no more pain in her knees!!! He will also treat her left arm which should allow her to straighten it, as well as addressing the curve in her big toe on her right foot which affects her balance.
Thank You so much for pitching in to help out!
Surgery in Canada vs Surgery in the US
Is lengthening surgery offered in Canada? Yes, it is, and we could have the surgery done (for free) here at Sick Kids hospital in Toronto. However, without getting too technical, the surgery here is MUCH more invasive than in the US. Kalea would have an incision above and below her knee in each leg, and tendons would be severed to allow muscles to stretch. Surgery would take a few hours, followed by 3 days recovery at Sick Kids and then 3 months rehab at Holland Bloorview learning how to move with her 'new' legs.
Surgery in New Jersey is far less invasive. There would not actually be any long incisions - Dr. Nuzzo told Kalea her scars would be smaller than the freckles on her leg! Instead of cutting tendons, holes are poked into the myofascia (the tough tissue surrounding the muscles and tendons), which then allows everything to stretch (if you would like a more detailed/ proper explanation, click the pink link above!!) Surgery time is less than an hour, discharge is the same day, and walking is encouraged as soon as she is ready after the surgery. As Dr. Nuzzo has over 30 years of successful surgeries, this is the option we are more comfortable with!!!
