Kass's Hip Recovery and Power Chair

Hello, This is Korrina, Kass's Mom! Anyone who knows me, knows that I do not like asking for help BUT as my good friend reminded me, this isn’t about me it’s about Kass and what is best for HER, so I am swallowing my pride and asking for your help. A little, a lot, a share…whatever you can do helps her.

Kassie (Kass) and her twin sister Lena were born in 2006 at 24 weeks and 6 days. They are both little (not so little now miracles). As a result of their prematurity both girls live with Cerebral Palsy and other lifetime effects of their disability. Kass lives with right sided hemi-plegia Cerebral Palsy which means that the left side of her body is grossly unaffected but that the right side is weaker and has less sensation. This right sided palsy means that she does not use that side of her body like the left and therefore it has not grown the same, both of her right limbs are shorter than the left. She also lives with profound Generalized Anxiety, OCD, ADD and many ASD type traits that impact her ability to cope with change.

At age 12 Kass was diagnosed with LEFT sided hip dysplasia due to this leg being longer and pushing upward on her hip when she walks. She has been monitored closely since then by a surgeon in Calgary at the Alberta Children’s Hospital. We have been able to avoid the extensive surgery that she needs for 5 years but this past fall she began having hip pain. This pain has progressed to daily pain that limits her ability to participate in activities she enjoys and has decreased the amount she can walk, she takes pain medication multiple times a day.

Next week on August 27th Kass will have her surgery, a Periacetabular Osteotomy of her left hip and possible Femoral Derotation and Shortening. She will need to stay in hospital in Calgary for 1-2 weeks and then will be non-weight bearing for another 8 weeks. Because of her right sided weakness this means she will need to use a wheelchair for mobility during her recovery. Unfortunately, the one we had lined up for her to use will not work for her and we will need to get her a folding lightweight power chair asap so that she can maintain her independence both at home and at school. We would love to be able to take this to Calgary so that PT there can assist her in learning how to use it and transfer into it! Once we return home she will require intense Physiotherapy to maintain her range of motion and regain her ability to walk.

Here's where the help part comes…Due to family health issues and some external factors beyond my control, I have not been able to work much this summer let alone work the overtime I had hoped to in order to be able to give Kass the best possible support and care. I have exhausted all other possible options for financial aide. Therefore, I am humbly asking that if you can contribute either here or via email money transfer [email redacted] dot c.o.m (without the spaces and extra periods bc computuers) to help with costs so that Wayne and Lena and I can be with Kass in Calgary and to cover costs both there (Alt Hotel is within walking distance at $165/night and meals etc) and at home while we take time away from work to be with her and make her recovery as easy as possible. Money raised will also be used to cover the costs of a powerchair that will be suitable for her to maintain her independence both at home and at school.

Link: https://allstarwheelchairs.com/products/featherweight-electric-wheelchair ($2500 CAD).

Any funds that remain when we return home will be used to pay for her physiotherapy as insurance only covers a small portion of what she will need.

We greatly appreciate any and all support you are able to provide.

Korrina, Wayne, Kass and Lena Stadnyk