To donate to Grace's fund visit www.justgiving.com/graces-fund
To learn more about Grace, watch her video and contact us, visit www.gracesfund.org
About Grace
Our daughter - Grace Windram - is 5 years old and has Spastic Diplegia Cerebral Palsy. This condition (caused by damage to the brain in late pregnancy / birth) means her movements are severly affected, in particular her lower body.
As a result, Grace cannot stand or walk, and other movements are a real struggle. In addition, the spasticity (tightness) in her legs cause discomfort, which will worsen as she grows.
Treatments
Now there is real hope for Grace to lead a much more independent life. Grace has been accepted for an operation in the US called Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy (SDR). This procedure (undertaken by Dr Park at St. Louis Children's Hospital in Missouri) involves severing certain nerves in the spine which are sending the 'bad' signals to her legs, and therefore permanently reduce / remove the spasticity. In over 2,000 cases, it has had a 100% success rate. Dr Park believes that after the operation, Grace will be able to learn to walk in a walker, possibly with crutches and maybe even unaided for short distances.
Grace desparately wants to walk like her friends and this operation may just make her dream a reality. It also brings a host of other health benefits that will help her later in life.
After the procedure, Grace will probably need a second operation to release her heel cords and hamstrings, and a LOT of physiotherapy. As well as intensive physiotherapy in the US and at home, she will continue to attend the Footsteps Centre in Oxfordshire 4 times a year.
Grace's Fund - Fundraising Targets
The cost of our trip to the US will cost around £40,000. This includes the cost of the operations, physiotherapy treatment over there, flights and accomodation, and medical equipment that needs to be purchased.
In addition, Grace will need intensive physiotherapy back in the UK. Private home sessions in the year following the operation will cost around £4,000, and ongoing treatment at the Footsteps Centre will cost £5,000 to £8,000 per year.
If you would like to donate to the costs of these treatments, you can support any of the events linked to this fundraising team page, or go to www.justgiving.com/graces-fund
Thank-you for your support.
