Cerebral Palsy does not know Jack

When you think of Jack,  you think of a fun loving baby that loves to laugh, play,  eat, and cuddle. He has the biggest smile,  the most dramatic pouty lip, and expresses extreme bliss when he’s introduced to a new foods that he loves. Cerebral Palsy does not define Jack but it is something he must live with and currently there is not a cure. Our plan is to do everything in our power to have Jack defy the odds. 
Jack has amazing therapists and Drs who give us guidance on our daily journey and he never ceases to amaze them with what he can do.  Unfortunately, as much as Jack amazes us daily,  he has to work much harder at what we take for granted.  While other 1 year olds are standing and/or walking, we practice daily on sitting up unassisted, and have been told, this is crucial to making sure Jack walks when he is older.  We don’t dwell on what we can’t do though, and focus on our small  victories  taking it 1 day at a time.  We want to give Jack every opportunity we can towards his best life, and will be using this money towards treatments that his insurance will not cover and travel expenses.  Stem cell therapy is our first step, as it is without age limitation. Stem cell therapy is breaking major ground with CP (much more than CP actually) and has been studied at Duke for over a decade.  

CP is an injury to the brain, and with advancements in stem cell research, we are getting closer and closer to repairing this injury. It will one day do a lot more than cure CP,  but is still not currently FDA approved in the U.S. It is approved everywhere else in the world except the US and Canada, that is a whole different discussion. We will be taking Jack out of the country for his first treatment and then putting him on a 2 year waiting list to have it done at Duke as well.  When Jack turns 2, he will be a candidate for Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy(SDR) surgery, which will help reduce spasticity signals sent from his brain .  These procedures will hopefully greatly increase Jacks mobility and motor skills in his every day life.  We really appreciate this effort to help raise money for Jacks upcoming journey as we overcome  CP.  Without a doubt, he will defy the odds.

Thank you,
Ryan, Heather, and Jack Leahy