Hi there,

My name is Courtney, and this is my son Jacksons story. Jackson was born at 30 weeks 6 days and was healthy as could be for that gestation. We had a NICU stay of 34 days (due to grower feeder goals) and then came home. Over the next year I noticed he was not hitting milestones- he did not roll over or hold a bottle till he was a year old. At that point I we switched pediatricians and started a long process of finding out what was going on.

At 2.5 years of age an MRI was requested of the brain and that's when we started to get answers and diagnosis. Jackson was diagnosed with PVL. Periventricular leukomalacia is damage to the inner part/white matter of the brain. White matter is made up of neurons that are used to communicate with other parts of your brain and spinal cord. In Jackson's case, it effected his lower extremities (legs). At this point we were referred to neurology where he got the diagnosis of spastic diplegic cerebral palsy and dr mentioned that he'd be a great candidate for SDR. After getting home I did my research on the best SDR doctors in the U.S. and decided to start this journey with Dr. Manish Shah in Houston TX. After thorough evaluation from Dr. Shah and his team he said Jacksn would be a great candidate for SDR.

What is SDR? Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy is a specialized surgical procedure used to reduce spasticity (muscle stiffness) in individuals with conditions like cerebral palsy. The surgery involves carefully identifying and cutting specific sensory nerve fibers in the spinal cord that are causing excessive muscle tightness. By reducing the signals that trigger spasticity, SDR can significantly improve mobility, comfort, and quality of life. It is most commonly performed on children with spastic diplegia, but it can benefit others as well, depending on their condition and goals. The procedure is followed by intensive physical therapy to help patients strengthen muscles and relearn movement patterns. Jackson has always had issues with balancing, was a tiptoe walker, walked with one-foot rotated inwards, and was also a belly walker. This caused muscle spasms and pain in legs. He always asked, "Can you fix my legs?" or would say "I want to be fast like Flash".

On August 25th we finally received SDR surgery!! We were all excited for this journey and the surgery went well. In the procedure report it is noted that L1 dorsal nerve rootlet was identified and 50% was cut. After surgery on August 28th, we got transported to Dell's Children's Rehabilitation Center in Austin where we will be staying for up to 6 weeks.

I am reaching out with heartfelt gratitude to everyone who has supported Jackson and I during this journey. As we navigate the challenges of out-of-pocket expenses and any medical expenses that can present themself, we are making a GoFundMe to help. Every donation—big or small—goes directly toward covering treatment costs, medications, and other essential care. Your support not only helps ease the financial burden but also brings hope and strength to keep going. Thank you for standing by us, for your compassion, and for making a real difference in our lives. We are deeply grateful, and we are very blessed!

With love,

Jackson & Courtney