Brecon Vaughan is the son of our best friends Rob and Ann.  To raise money so he can have a much needed operation to help him walk, We will be taking on the famed tough mudder challenge in Sept.  For anyone fit this challenge would be fun, but to us the electric shocks, iced water, fire, mud and obstacles over an 11 mile course, will no doubt cause chaos with our bodies as gravity is no longer our friend and muscle tone a distant memory.  Clearly training the night before will not be an option, so out with the trainers and on with the lycra.

 

Brecon was born on 24 September 2007 with planovalgus feet, both hips dislocated and Cerebral Palsy

 

At 4 days old he was put into a Pavlik harness to bring his hips back into joint. This did not work on his left hip and he had 3 failed attempts at reinstating his left hip. At 13 months old he was operated on in Bristol Royal Infirmary Children’s Hospital and successfully had his left hip reinstated. He then spent 3 months in a body and leg plaster cast while the hip set in place. At 2 years old Brecon had a hip check up where the surgeon advised that they go to their local NHS authority to have him neurologically tested as he should have been walking.

 

He then underwent an MRI scan which was when we became aware of his Cerebral Palsy.

 

His diagnosis is Spastic Diplegia Cerebral Palsy, this effects the lower legs. In every child with Cerebral Palsy the severity can differ. Brecon can walk with a walking frame and stand independently for about 30 seconds. He is unable to walk unaided.

 

The operation that my fund raising is in aid of is a Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy, carried out in St Louis, Missouri by a Dr Park. They have done well over 2500 children over the last 20 years. 

 

The operation cuts into the spinal column and they sever the nerves that cause the spasticity. The children then go through a rigorous physiotherapy program whilst there and after you return to the UK, you need to employ a physio to carry on the work. This can be up to 5 years after the operation.

 

The total needed is £60,000.00 this covers the operation, travel and physio.

 

Rob and Ann's son Brecon is 5 years old now and will be 6 by the time we can raise the funds, the sooner he gets the operation then his standard of living will increase, he will be able to walk in all environments, play with his friends. He will gain confidence. He will be able to use the toilet unaided. All things that we take for granted, he with a little help, is not far from achieving these goals. The sooner the operation the less likely of further operations as he grows older, Ligament lengthening, feet set in plaster casts. Also a side effect of cerebral palsy is hip dislocation and as he had dislocated hips this is a big factor for us to get his legs working to enable muscle growth to keep the hips is situ.

 

The charity that we are using is the “Tree of Hope” charity number 1149254. Any funds collected are kept in trust for Brecon’s treatments, until the fund is used then it’s back to Mum & Dad to fund from there on.

 

Hope you can help. Steve and Ruth

 

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