Ryan Needs Your Help
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Help Ryan Walk Again
Our son Ryan needs your help!
Ryan has been battling with chronic pain in his right ankle due to CRPS (Complex Regional Pain Syndrome) for almost a decade. This disease is very rare and has affected everything in his daily life, including walking, sitting, standing, and even sleeping. Ryan is dependent on a cane to get around. Currently, he is unable to work due to physical limitations.
This is where Ryan needs your help. Through much research, Ryan has discovered there is a device that can be made for his leg that will benefit him greatly. It is called the "ExoSym", developed by Ryan Blanck at Hanger Clinic. The device is made in only one place in North America, in Gig Harbor, Washington. We have contacted Manitoba Health and they will not cover any part of this medical device as it is not on their list of braces. Ryan’s doctor and family absolutely believe that this is Ryan's best chance at a normal life.
The device costs $9,000 USD. This cost, along with airfare, hotel, and daily living expenses while Ryan is in Washington will total approximately $15,000 Canadian. Ryan starts this life-changing process on August 12th of this year. He is both nervous and excited to start this next phase of his life. Your help will get him there.
Thank you for supporting Ryan so that he can walk independently again!
More About Ryan’s Story
When Ryan was in elementary school, he developed pain in his right ankle. His third grade school journal mentions how much fun he had trick-or treating "even though his ankle clicked most of the time." He was diagnosed with Tarsal Coalition (a fused joint that left Ryan with no side-to-side movement in his ankle). His first surgery at Winnipeg's Children's Hospital (one of three to come) corrected the Tarsal Coalition. Everything was great..... for a while.
Once Ryan started junior high school, he began having pain in the ankle again, and in his lower leg. The pain definitely slowed him down from doing the fun daily activities young boys should have been doing. An MRI showed Ryan had developed excessive scar tissue in the ankle. The scar tissue was wrapped around the tendon and nerve bundle, and was attached to the bone. He was scheduled for a second surgery in December of that year. Ryan was skateboarding in October prior to the surgery, and after only being on the board for about five minutes, he had a fall (although skateboarding was painful, Ryan was still trying to be a regular kid). The fall resulted in him breaking one bone in his lower right leg, and causing a spiral fracture of the other bone (yes, that same leg!). It was discovered during an x-ray that Ryan was actually missing a part of his bone in his lower leg, and a cyst had grown in that area to replace the bone. He was placed in a cast to heal the broken bones prior to his second surgery. Ryan was then placed in a cast again to immobilize the leg during healing after the surgery.
Ryan was without pain after this second surgery for less than six months. The pain came back with a vengeance! While in his grade twelve year in high school, he was referred to a micro-neuro surgeon. He determined that the scar tissue had grown back, worse than before. Ryan was now walking with a cane to try to alleviate some of his pain. Shortly before graduation, Ryan had his third surgery.
Sadly, although the third and final surgery was a success in removing all remnants of scar tissue, Ryan was still in constant pain. He was referred to yet another surgeon. She diagnosed Ryan with chronic nerve pain in his right leg and foot. There was nothing else that could be done for Ryan.
Two years ago, Ryan's pain was finally given a medical diagnosis: Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS). He deals with pain 24/7, not just in his leg, but throughout his body because of the dependency on the cane, now and during the years that his body was still growing. He cannot walk around the block, he cannot stand, sit, or lie down for long periods of time, constantly needing to change positions. Ryan describes the feel of his bed sheets on his leg as if someone was rubbing his leg with sand paper. Because of the use of the cane, the tendons in his right shoulder are in chronic impingement, he has hip pain, and has now developed mild scoliosis. He struggles opening doors and using stairs if he is carrying something in his other hand, such as groceries or laundry. Walking around a shopping mall has become impossible so he uses a complimentary wheelchair. Sadly, some patients with CRPS have only been able to achieve pain relief through amputation.
To learn more about CRPS, Click on this link.
About the Exosym
This device was initially designed to "reduce pain and restore mobility to active-duty and retired service members with limb salvage conditions as a way to avoid amputation" (Hanger Clinic). Ryan has been in contact with Hanger Clinic over this past year. They have copies of all his medical records, and believe the Exosym will definitely work for Ryan. The device will help restore Ryan's gait, correct his body posture while walking and standing, he will be able to look for part-time work, and it will allow him to eventually become cane-free!
The "ExoSym incorporates a specialized dynamic energy-storing strut system often used in prosthetic running limbs for amputees" (Hanger Clinic). Ryan will need to spend a week in Washington where he will be fitted for the device, taught to walk using the muscles in his body rather than putting pressure on his foot, and will also go through intensive physio-therapy while wearing the device.
For more information about the ExoSym and to visit Hanger’s website, Click here.
Our son Ryan needs your help!
Ryan has been battling with chronic pain in his right ankle due to CRPS (Complex Regional Pain Syndrome) for almost a decade. This disease is very rare and has affected everything in his daily life, including walking, sitting, standing, and even sleeping. Ryan is dependent on a cane to get around. Currently, he is unable to work due to physical limitations.
This is where Ryan needs your help. Through much research, Ryan has discovered there is a device that can be made for his leg that will benefit him greatly. It is called the "ExoSym", developed by Ryan Blanck at Hanger Clinic. The device is made in only one place in North America, in Gig Harbor, Washington. We have contacted Manitoba Health and they will not cover any part of this medical device as it is not on their list of braces. Ryan’s doctor and family absolutely believe that this is Ryan's best chance at a normal life.
The device costs $9,000 USD. This cost, along with airfare, hotel, and daily living expenses while Ryan is in Washington will total approximately $15,000 Canadian. Ryan starts this life-changing process on August 12th of this year. He is both nervous and excited to start this next phase of his life. Your help will get him there.
Thank you for supporting Ryan so that he can walk independently again!
More About Ryan’s Story
When Ryan was in elementary school, he developed pain in his right ankle. His third grade school journal mentions how much fun he had trick-or treating "even though his ankle clicked most of the time." He was diagnosed with Tarsal Coalition (a fused joint that left Ryan with no side-to-side movement in his ankle). His first surgery at Winnipeg's Children's Hospital (one of three to come) corrected the Tarsal Coalition. Everything was great..... for a while.
Once Ryan started junior high school, he began having pain in the ankle again, and in his lower leg. The pain definitely slowed him down from doing the fun daily activities young boys should have been doing. An MRI showed Ryan had developed excessive scar tissue in the ankle. The scar tissue was wrapped around the tendon and nerve bundle, and was attached to the bone. He was scheduled for a second surgery in December of that year. Ryan was skateboarding in October prior to the surgery, and after only being on the board for about five minutes, he had a fall (although skateboarding was painful, Ryan was still trying to be a regular kid). The fall resulted in him breaking one bone in his lower right leg, and causing a spiral fracture of the other bone (yes, that same leg!). It was discovered during an x-ray that Ryan was actually missing a part of his bone in his lower leg, and a cyst had grown in that area to replace the bone. He was placed in a cast to heal the broken bones prior to his second surgery. Ryan was then placed in a cast again to immobilize the leg during healing after the surgery.
Ryan was without pain after this second surgery for less than six months. The pain came back with a vengeance! While in his grade twelve year in high school, he was referred to a micro-neuro surgeon. He determined that the scar tissue had grown back, worse than before. Ryan was now walking with a cane to try to alleviate some of his pain. Shortly before graduation, Ryan had his third surgery.
Sadly, although the third and final surgery was a success in removing all remnants of scar tissue, Ryan was still in constant pain. He was referred to yet another surgeon. She diagnosed Ryan with chronic nerve pain in his right leg and foot. There was nothing else that could be done for Ryan.
Two years ago, Ryan's pain was finally given a medical diagnosis: Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS). He deals with pain 24/7, not just in his leg, but throughout his body because of the dependency on the cane, now and during the years that his body was still growing. He cannot walk around the block, he cannot stand, sit, or lie down for long periods of time, constantly needing to change positions. Ryan describes the feel of his bed sheets on his leg as if someone was rubbing his leg with sand paper. Because of the use of the cane, the tendons in his right shoulder are in chronic impingement, he has hip pain, and has now developed mild scoliosis. He struggles opening doors and using stairs if he is carrying something in his other hand, such as groceries or laundry. Walking around a shopping mall has become impossible so he uses a complimentary wheelchair. Sadly, some patients with CRPS have only been able to achieve pain relief through amputation.
To learn more about CRPS, Click on this link.
About the Exosym
This device was initially designed to "reduce pain and restore mobility to active-duty and retired service members with limb salvage conditions as a way to avoid amputation" (Hanger Clinic). Ryan has been in contact with Hanger Clinic over this past year. They have copies of all his medical records, and believe the Exosym will definitely work for Ryan. The device will help restore Ryan's gait, correct his body posture while walking and standing, he will be able to look for part-time work, and it will allow him to eventually become cane-free!
The "ExoSym incorporates a specialized dynamic energy-storing strut system often used in prosthetic running limbs for amputees" (Hanger Clinic). Ryan will need to spend a week in Washington where he will be fitted for the device, taught to walk using the muscles in his body rather than putting pressure on his foot, and will also go through intensive physio-therapy while wearing the device.
For more information about the ExoSym and to visit Hanger’s website, Click here.
Organizer
Julie Kaul
Organizer
Winnipeg, MB