Tree of Hope

#dawsoncandoit

We are fundraising for Dawson's Surgery, Equipment & Therapies
£28,045
raised of £60,000 target
RCN 1149254 In Scotland SC042611

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Story

Dawson was born at 32 weeks via emergency C-section. From the moment he was born, he wanted to surprise us all. He was breathing independently, crying right away, and then managed to bottle/breastfeed after only 9 days, losing his feeding tube.

Dawson was a quiet, chilled-out baby with two boisterous brothers, Reuben (9) and Aulay (7). Everything seemed perfect, and our family was finally complete and ready for some new adventures.

Dawson had some nasty ear infections from about 6 months old, which the doctors believed were the reason for his poor balance when sitting. After several visits to the doctors, they suspected it might be something else, so he was referred to a consultant at the hospital.

Then, our world came crashing down...

The consultant advised that Dawson has Dystonic Spastic Diaplegic Cerebral Palsy. Another appointment at 2 years old confirmed this.

Since then, Dawson has been attending weekly physiotherapy sessions, alongside daily physiotherapy at home. Pre-COVID, he was also attending weekly hydrotherapy. He works so hard, spurred on by his brothers and his best friend at nursery, Emmi.

Although not quite the adventure we planned, Dawson now has a long road ahead to becoming totally independent, walking unaided, and moving more freely. This is no longer just a dream, as he is a perfect candidate for SDR surgery.

SDR (Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy) is not a cure for cerebral palsy, but the operation aims to improve quality of life by reducing muscle stiffness. The procedure is irreversible, so the changes cannot be undone. However, the procedure’s effectiveness at reducing spasticity and improving quality of life has been demonstrated many times. The four- to five-hour procedure involves:

An incision made into the upper lumbar spine.

An ultrasound probe is used to identify the lower end of the spinal cord.

Under the operating microscope, the membrane covering the spinal cord is opened, and the lower end of the cord, along with the sensory roots entering it, is identified.

Each of the sensory nerve roots is then subdivided into four or five rootlets.

Each rootlet is stimulated to identify the ones that contribute most to the spasticity.

These rootlets are then divided. The process is repeated for all the other nerve roots on both sides, aiming to divide 50 to 70 percent of the sensory roots.

At the end of the procedure, the membrane covering the spinal cord is closed again.

The back muscles are returned to their original position, and the skin is closed with dissolvable stitches.

7.5% of all donations to Tree of Hope in relation to this appeal will be allocated to the general charitable purposes of Tree of Hope to cover our core operating costs.

If we raise insufficient funds, or surplus funds, then the funds will be used, if appropriate, to fund support for our child’s needs in accordance with Tree of Hope’s charitable objects. If in those circumstances we are unable to use all or part of the funds for the benefit of our child in accordance with Tree of Hope’s charitable objectives, then any funds that cannot be used will be transferred to be used for the general charitable purposes of Tree of Hope.

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About the charity

Tree of Hope

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RCN 1149254 In Scotland SC042611
All donations are paid into Tree of Hope's general funds which fund our charitable activities. Our charitable activities are focused on raising & managing funds for medical treatment, therapy & equipment for sick & disabled children. England & Wales 1149254 Scotland SCO4261 www.treeofhope.org.uk

Donation summary

Total raised
£28,044.54
+ £4,457.53 Gift Aid
Online donations
£28,044.54
Offline donations
£0.00
Direct donations
£0.00
Donations via fundraisers
£28,044.54

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