See Gracie Run
Donation protected
In 2011 Heather and Robert became pregnant with their second child and were ecstatic to find out they were having a little girl! In October it was time to meet Gracie Mae, the sweet baby who would complete their family.
After the birth when the nurses took the family back to their hospital room Robert told Heather that Gracie was missing two toes on one of her feet. Heather's heart sank in her chest. She put aside every other emotion and thought that was flowing through her when she saw Gracie's foot for the first time and said, "She's perfect!"
The weeks after Gracie came home from the hospital were filled with doctor's appointments and prayer. Gracie was diagnosed with Fibular Hemimelia, a very rare condition estimated to affect only 1 in 40,000-50,000 people worldwide. No two cases are identical. In Gracie's case it has caused her right leg to be vastly shorter than the left and as a result the heel and joints of the affected leg are deformed and will require additional surgeries to correct those as well.
Just weeks after they welcomed Gracie into their family they were faced with a decision: either begin preparing for limb lengthening surgeries or amputate Gracie's leg. At church two individuals separately came to Heather and told her that God had shown them that one day Gracie would run! They decided amputation was not an option.
While many families affected by fibular hemimelia facing this crossroads choose amputation for their child, Gracie's doctor suggested that Gracie's leg was otherwise healthy and supported their choice for lengthening.
Heather found a hospital in Baltimore that specializes in limb lengthening procedures. She learned from the doctor there that Gracie will require multiple surgeries throughout her lifetime to correct the deformities in Gracie's leg and joints. At the age of 3, Gracie has undergone 7 surgeries so far, and requires at least two more in the summer of 2015 alone!
Gracie is a beautiful young girl who doesn't let disability get in her way. She is a social butterfly and a busy preschooler who never stops moving and can't wait to start playing sports like her big brother!
Heather and Robert are wonderful people who both work hard. Robert is a high school teacher who coaches three sports throughout the year to bring in extra money and Heather works at the before and after school care program at a local school. They are no longer able to bear the financial burden of Gracie's medical care alone and that's where we're hoping you can help. All monies raised will help support Gracie, her medical bills, devices (she will need lifts for shoes, leg braces, etc. throughout her childhood as her body grows), travel expenses for surgeries, and physical therapy as they attempt to correct some issues to avoid surgery, and rehab from previous surgeries.
Please consider donating and sharing so that her parents can focus more on Gracie's care rather than worrying about being able to afford the surgeries she requires.
To keep up with Gracie on her journey with FH, you can follow her on Twitter @SeeGracieRun or her mom's blog www.formedbyGod.blogspot.com
After the birth when the nurses took the family back to their hospital room Robert told Heather that Gracie was missing two toes on one of her feet. Heather's heart sank in her chest. She put aside every other emotion and thought that was flowing through her when she saw Gracie's foot for the first time and said, "She's perfect!"
The weeks after Gracie came home from the hospital were filled with doctor's appointments and prayer. Gracie was diagnosed with Fibular Hemimelia, a very rare condition estimated to affect only 1 in 40,000-50,000 people worldwide. No two cases are identical. In Gracie's case it has caused her right leg to be vastly shorter than the left and as a result the heel and joints of the affected leg are deformed and will require additional surgeries to correct those as well.
Just weeks after they welcomed Gracie into their family they were faced with a decision: either begin preparing for limb lengthening surgeries or amputate Gracie's leg. At church two individuals separately came to Heather and told her that God had shown them that one day Gracie would run! They decided amputation was not an option.
While many families affected by fibular hemimelia facing this crossroads choose amputation for their child, Gracie's doctor suggested that Gracie's leg was otherwise healthy and supported their choice for lengthening.
Heather found a hospital in Baltimore that specializes in limb lengthening procedures. She learned from the doctor there that Gracie will require multiple surgeries throughout her lifetime to correct the deformities in Gracie's leg and joints. At the age of 3, Gracie has undergone 7 surgeries so far, and requires at least two more in the summer of 2015 alone!
Gracie is a beautiful young girl who doesn't let disability get in her way. She is a social butterfly and a busy preschooler who never stops moving and can't wait to start playing sports like her big brother!
Heather and Robert are wonderful people who both work hard. Robert is a high school teacher who coaches three sports throughout the year to bring in extra money and Heather works at the before and after school care program at a local school. They are no longer able to bear the financial burden of Gracie's medical care alone and that's where we're hoping you can help. All monies raised will help support Gracie, her medical bills, devices (she will need lifts for shoes, leg braces, etc. throughout her childhood as her body grows), travel expenses for surgeries, and physical therapy as they attempt to correct some issues to avoid surgery, and rehab from previous surgeries.
Please consider donating and sharing so that her parents can focus more on Gracie's care rather than worrying about being able to afford the surgeries she requires.
To keep up with Gracie on her journey with FH, you can follow her on Twitter @SeeGracieRun or her mom's blog www.formedbyGod.blogspot.com
Organizer
Jenn Jackson
Organizer
Nampa, ID
