Help Jacob Helm walk again
Donation protected
This is Jacob. He is 22 years old and has two beautiful girls in his life..Alisha and his daughter, Kimora. He was born with an extremely rare condition called VACTERL.
V-Vertebral defects
A-Anal Atresia
C-Cardiac
T-Tracheao/E-Esophageal fistula (these go together)
R-Renal anomalies
L- Limb Defects
Jake has every symptom but cardiac. 3 or more qualify you for the “diagnosis “ of it. He has been through many MANY hospital stays and surgeries in his life.
At 18 yrs of age we learned that his sacrum and coccyx bones were severely deformed causing extreme muscle spasms and debilitating pain. Sacrum and coccyx bones are are the bottom portion of the spine. They hold your weight. He’s 6’2” 240lbs. They are tired.
Since he was 18 yrs, he has been hospitalized 5 times for multiple days at a time, and now walks with a walker. Since his 2nd to last hospital stay (in the past couple months) his right leg has become numb and drags behind him when he walks. We are devastated. Doctors here in Iowa don’t know what to do for him other than therapy and that’s not working.
HE NEEDS A SPECIALIST!!
Thankfully, There is an orthopedic surgeon at the Paley Limb and Spine Institute in West Palm Beach, Florida, who knows a great deal about this rare condition. Dr. Feldman, the spine specialist, has agreed to take Jake as a patient!! Our hope is high right now and we can’t wait to see if Dr Feldman can help Jake walk again!
Hers where you can help...Because of Jake’s current painful state, he is not working. Traveling for medical care is expensive. Please consider donating to raise money to help with the cost. Lets get Jake some answers, pain relief and get him Walking again!!
V-Vertebral defects
A-Anal Atresia
C-Cardiac
T-Tracheao/E-Esophageal fistula (these go together)
R-Renal anomalies
L- Limb Defects
Jake has every symptom but cardiac. 3 or more qualify you for the “diagnosis “ of it. He has been through many MANY hospital stays and surgeries in his life.
At 18 yrs of age we learned that his sacrum and coccyx bones were severely deformed causing extreme muscle spasms and debilitating pain. Sacrum and coccyx bones are are the bottom portion of the spine. They hold your weight. He’s 6’2” 240lbs. They are tired.
Since he was 18 yrs, he has been hospitalized 5 times for multiple days at a time, and now walks with a walker. Since his 2nd to last hospital stay (in the past couple months) his right leg has become numb and drags behind him when he walks. We are devastated. Doctors here in Iowa don’t know what to do for him other than therapy and that’s not working.
HE NEEDS A SPECIALIST!!
Thankfully, There is an orthopedic surgeon at the Paley Limb and Spine Institute in West Palm Beach, Florida, who knows a great deal about this rare condition. Dr. Feldman, the spine specialist, has agreed to take Jake as a patient!! Our hope is high right now and we can’t wait to see if Dr Feldman can help Jake walk again!
Hers where you can help...Because of Jake’s current painful state, he is not working. Traveling for medical care is expensive. Please consider donating to raise money to help with the cost. Lets get Jake some answers, pain relief and get him Walking again!!
Organizer and beneficiary
Caroline Willemsen Gehrls
Organizer
Hiawatha, IA
Nichol Ohnemus
Beneficiary