Kelty has Cerebral Palsy and uses a wheelchair for mobility. Because of her age and the type of CP she has, she has been given a unique opportunity to participate in a clinical trial for a therapy using a device that helps people with CP learn to move more effectively by connecting the signals between the brain and the muscles. The FDA has granted this device “breakthrough” status, meaning that there are no other treatments like this available today, and it is expected to demonstrate substantial improvement over any other existing interventions.

Participating in this trial will allow Kelty to improve her overall mobility and level of independence. To date, there are no methods or medications to prevent or treat CP. Often, children with CP are treated with permanent, invasive surgeries that attempt to decrease spasticity, and involvement in this trial could mean that Kelty can avoid several upcoming invasive surgeries to her hips, knees, and ankles. By contrast, this device is non-invasive and has already demonstrated amazing outcomes in children who have similar function to Kelty.

Beyond this, the results of this clinical trial will help to show that the therapy is safe and effective so that it can be made available for more children and families, which could make a huge difference for the 17 million people around the world who have CP.

The clinic where this trial takes place is in Los Angeles, California, and the trial starts in less than a month (April 2023). We will be taking Kelty to live there for a period of three months in order to participate, and we are asking - with humility & gratitude - for your help in covering some of the costs to participate in the trial and move to the US for this extended period of time.

In situations like this, words often fall short of conveying the emotion behind them, so when we say thank-you, please know we mean it with a sincerity that is difficult to express in words… THANK YOU!