Craig's Prosthetic Leg Fund
Donation protected
We have set up this page to support our friend Craig Rowell and his pursuit to improve his quality of life following his battle with cancer which started in November 2010, and the consequential above knee amputation of his left leg that was required in 2011 in order to help save his life.
Last December 2016 Craig received the exceptional news that he will only need to see the doctors every 12 months. Craig is now finally in a position where he can start to rebuild his life and potentially return to the workforce permanently.
For those that know Craig (Rowdy) I’m sure you can imagine him being resistant to the concept of a fundraiser and reaching out for support. Since the removal of his leg Craig has always remained positive and his no frills approach disguises the impact and ongoing battles Craig faces from his amputation.
Craig has recently been accepted as an ideal candidate for a procedure that will provide him a new type of prosthetic leg. This is an amazing opportunity as this ground breaking procedure improves the quality of life in patients by mimicking the human anatomy as much as possible. It also aids in eradication of walking aids and medication and best of all, phantom pain.
Unfortunately this procedure doesn’t come cheap, the operation will cost $40,000 and the prosthetic leg could cost anything from $30,000 – $80,000. We have set a fundraising target of 60,000, which if achieved will cover the costs of the operation and a significant part of the costs associated the new prosthetic leg.
We are putting the request out to help raise the funds to cover as much as possible of the treatment Craig requires. All donations are greatly appreciated no matter the amount. Everyone who knows Craig will be aware of how much family and friends mean to him, and everything he has gone through in the past leading up to now.
Craig is always there for those going through hard times, so it’s time for us to rally together and return the favour.
For anyone who is interest in more information on Craig’s journey and the type of procedure he is hoping to undertake please read below.
Craig’s Journey
In November 2010, devastating news fell upon our friend Craig when a tumor was identified in his lower leg and diagnosed with as an aggressive and rare form of cancer.
After acknowledging that the pain caused by his “Permanent Corky” in his leg was too much to handle, Craig made his way to the Frankston Emergency Room and soon after found himself transported by ambulance to the Peter McCallum Institute in Melbourne. Almost instantly, after many tests and a biopsy, the diagnosis followed. There was a tumour wrapped within his left calf muscle and frighteningly, also his lungs.
The following day, Craig endured 48 hours of urgent Chemotherapy, preceded by 12 cycles of radiotherapy and chemotherapy to reduce the size of the tumours (4 days of treatment, 3 weeks home… repeat). Sadly, in July 2011 the tumour had entered his fibula. With this devastating news came the life-altering decision from his doctors to take dramatic measures to save Craig’s life, leaving him with an above-knee amputation on his left side.
With the threat in his lower extremity removed along with his limb, the doctors focused on reducing the risk within his lungs. With months and months of check-ups and excruciating rehab, it was only last December (2016) when Craig received the exceptional news that he would only need to see the doctors every 12 months from here on in.
Craig’s quality of life deteriorated after the removal of his leg, causing him to leave the workforce and deal with a number of painful repercussions; both mentally and physically. However, with most pain comes gain - and there is a very bright light at the end of this tunnel!
Recently, Craig and his family discovered a procedure named “Osseointegration”, carried out by a Sydney Surgeon named Dr Munjed Al Muderis, who is changing lives here and across the world.
Osseointegration is a procedure that consists of placing an implant inside of the part of the tibia still remaining from the amputation, which improves quality of life in patients by mimicking the human anatomy as much as possible. It also aids in eradication of walking aids and medication and best of all, phantom pain.
(To read more about this procedure, please visit: http://www.osseointegrationaustralia.com.au/)
The best part about this is after meeting with Dr Munjed Al Muderis earlier this year, Craig was accepted as an ideal candidate for the surgery.
The implant will;
• Allow full freedom of movement in activities ranging from walking to cycling, recreational activities and physical work due to muscular strength developed freely around the implant, minimising muscle wastage of the stump.
• Improve comfort in movements such as sitting, standing and walking by eliminating the socket.
• Directly connect between the femoral bone, implant and knee enabling free, natural pivoting movements – giving Craig the control to create his own movement.
• Reduce the need for medication due to stump related issues, such as irritation of the skin, pressure pain, skin deterioration and phantom pain.
We are putting the request out to help raise the funds to cover as much as possible of the treatment Craig requires. All donations are greatly appreciated no matter the amount.
Last December 2016 Craig received the exceptional news that he will only need to see the doctors every 12 months. Craig is now finally in a position where he can start to rebuild his life and potentially return to the workforce permanently.
For those that know Craig (Rowdy) I’m sure you can imagine him being resistant to the concept of a fundraiser and reaching out for support. Since the removal of his leg Craig has always remained positive and his no frills approach disguises the impact and ongoing battles Craig faces from his amputation.
Craig has recently been accepted as an ideal candidate for a procedure that will provide him a new type of prosthetic leg. This is an amazing opportunity as this ground breaking procedure improves the quality of life in patients by mimicking the human anatomy as much as possible. It also aids in eradication of walking aids and medication and best of all, phantom pain.
Unfortunately this procedure doesn’t come cheap, the operation will cost $40,000 and the prosthetic leg could cost anything from $30,000 – $80,000. We have set a fundraising target of 60,000, which if achieved will cover the costs of the operation and a significant part of the costs associated the new prosthetic leg.
We are putting the request out to help raise the funds to cover as much as possible of the treatment Craig requires. All donations are greatly appreciated no matter the amount. Everyone who knows Craig will be aware of how much family and friends mean to him, and everything he has gone through in the past leading up to now.
Craig is always there for those going through hard times, so it’s time for us to rally together and return the favour.
For anyone who is interest in more information on Craig’s journey and the type of procedure he is hoping to undertake please read below.
Craig’s Journey
In November 2010, devastating news fell upon our friend Craig when a tumor was identified in his lower leg and diagnosed with as an aggressive and rare form of cancer.
After acknowledging that the pain caused by his “Permanent Corky” in his leg was too much to handle, Craig made his way to the Frankston Emergency Room and soon after found himself transported by ambulance to the Peter McCallum Institute in Melbourne. Almost instantly, after many tests and a biopsy, the diagnosis followed. There was a tumour wrapped within his left calf muscle and frighteningly, also his lungs.
The following day, Craig endured 48 hours of urgent Chemotherapy, preceded by 12 cycles of radiotherapy and chemotherapy to reduce the size of the tumours (4 days of treatment, 3 weeks home… repeat). Sadly, in July 2011 the tumour had entered his fibula. With this devastating news came the life-altering decision from his doctors to take dramatic measures to save Craig’s life, leaving him with an above-knee amputation on his left side.
With the threat in his lower extremity removed along with his limb, the doctors focused on reducing the risk within his lungs. With months and months of check-ups and excruciating rehab, it was only last December (2016) when Craig received the exceptional news that he would only need to see the doctors every 12 months from here on in.
Craig’s quality of life deteriorated after the removal of his leg, causing him to leave the workforce and deal with a number of painful repercussions; both mentally and physically. However, with most pain comes gain - and there is a very bright light at the end of this tunnel!
Recently, Craig and his family discovered a procedure named “Osseointegration”, carried out by a Sydney Surgeon named Dr Munjed Al Muderis, who is changing lives here and across the world.
Osseointegration is a procedure that consists of placing an implant inside of the part of the tibia still remaining from the amputation, which improves quality of life in patients by mimicking the human anatomy as much as possible. It also aids in eradication of walking aids and medication and best of all, phantom pain.
(To read more about this procedure, please visit: http://www.osseointegrationaustralia.com.au/)
The best part about this is after meeting with Dr Munjed Al Muderis earlier this year, Craig was accepted as an ideal candidate for the surgery.
The implant will;
• Allow full freedom of movement in activities ranging from walking to cycling, recreational activities and physical work due to muscular strength developed freely around the implant, minimising muscle wastage of the stump.
• Improve comfort in movements such as sitting, standing and walking by eliminating the socket.
• Directly connect between the femoral bone, implant and knee enabling free, natural pivoting movements – giving Craig the control to create his own movement.
• Reduce the need for medication due to stump related issues, such as irritation of the skin, pressure pain, skin deterioration and phantom pain.
We are putting the request out to help raise the funds to cover as much as possible of the treatment Craig requires. All donations are greatly appreciated no matter the amount.
Organizer
Travis Sauer
Organizer
Somerville VIC
