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Thank you for taking the time to read about our cause, I am Amanda I am raising money for Olivia who is my 11 year old daughter. We received the devastating news she has scoliosis in December 2018.
Scoliosis is characterrized by an S or C shaped curve in the spine.
Mild scoliosis will usually not require significant medical attention and is not as visible to the eye as other posture disorders. Mild scoliosis is generally the term used to describe scoliosis where the Cobb angle, or curvature of the spine, is less than 20 degrees. Mild scoliosis is the most responsive to exercise treatment.
Moderate scoliosis may be treated with exercise too, but wearing a medically prescribed brace is sometimes recommended as well. Moderate scoliosis may develop into severe scoliosis, defined as a spine curvature between 40 and 45 degrees.
Severe scoliosis usually needs to be corrected with spinal surgery.
When we visited an orthopedic surgeon, she explained that Olivia’s x-ray was already 50 degrees at the top and 38 degrees at the bottom therefore she would not be helped with bracing. The only other option offered on NHS currently is spinal fusion.
Spinal fusion is where the vertebrae are fused together to create a single bone which means that there will be no flexibility. Olivia will lose a lot of her flexibility and most likely not be able to continue with things that she loves such as gymnastics and dance.
The consequence of no surgery are internal organs being crushed, breathing and digestive problems and a lifetime of pain.
This is a life changing condition whether we have surgery or not so I have to make sure we choose the right option for Olivia.
I have spent hours and hours researching and emailing specialist surgeons all over the world who perform both spinal fusion and also a very new type of surgery called Vertebral Body Tethering (VBT) I sent Olivia’s X-rays to lots of surgeons overseas who all agree she is currently a good candidate for VBT.
VBT (vertebral body tethering)was pioneered in USA around 10 years ago. Going for this option would allow her to continue to grow and keep the flexibility in her spine.
Right now she is an ideal candidate for it if we move fast. It is a fairly new type of surgery in scoliosis that is producing some amazing results, I have chosen VBT as it is a keyhole surgery and will result in a quicker recovery time and Olivia will be able to go back to school and activities within weeks plus it will give the best chance of preserving her spine mobility.
The surgery is best done on younger patients while their skeleton is fairly immature and those with a curve under 70 degrees are excellent candidates for it.
VBT has recently been approved for trials on the NHS, but by the time that happens it would be too late for Olivia.
Currently there is a Shriners hospital in Philadelphia that will offer the surgery to people who fit the criteria, even international patients, at no cost. Which providing Olivia is a candidate will be amazing, but we have to get her there, and be able to stay in Philadelphia for possibly 6 weeks and then be able to return if there are any issues and for follow ups every year. This cost is obviously quite a lot and unfortunately more than I can afford so I am trying to raise as much as possible to get us there.
We need to raise as much money as quickly as possible as any growth spurt could knock Olivia over the 70 degree cut off and could prevent her from being a candidate.
There are also options to go to Turkey, Spain or Germany. While travel to these areas will be cheaper than the hospital in Philadelphia there is a cost for the surgery anything up to 40000 Euros.
The decision of where we are going to go depends on how much we can raise and where Olivia's curve is at that time.
This means so much to me because my children are my entire world, I would move heaven and earth to make sure they have everything they need, and Olivia needs this without it she will have to have a surgery that will leave her flexibility at the bare minimal. Possibly never to be able to even touch her knees let alone her toes. Coming from a girl who loves nothing better than to flip her body around into lots of flexible positions this is going to be devastating for her.
I would be eternally grateful to anyone who donates and helps us.
This is the young girl from Merseyside who Simon Cowell paid to get this VBT operation
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2SxYDgaaGc
Here are some links that explain in more detail what scoliosis and VBT are.
https://www.scoliosisassociates.com/treatments/non-fusion-corrective-surgery/?fbclid=IwAR0d95YP7PnfFFcq5oQD8DSu-dKoeAtXkwCSdHYEuur33YJbECTXl_xWUZ4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDcVlqKv6Jo&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR0Czf-pmAXwKT59U47JfEQP4n6GUUqqi8ZaLQRNA63b2ANrxCSxY0zh57U
https://posna.org/Blogs/The-Resident-Review/March-2015/Emerging-Technology-An-Interview-with-Randal-Betz?fbclid=IwAR3eTBYTePuKsP6mbq9kIW62gducf-zim_RKpCfphKVZVArEaE8MjPgbu-M
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fh7WQj9cFs&fbclid=IwAR26YMJEUdzq_CjNSBn_-cYJ8p0mDg8_CXDeKlEQXRhXchx9LhguVKko3yc
Scoliosis is characterrized by an S or C shaped curve in the spine.
Mild scoliosis will usually not require significant medical attention and is not as visible to the eye as other posture disorders. Mild scoliosis is generally the term used to describe scoliosis where the Cobb angle, or curvature of the spine, is less than 20 degrees. Mild scoliosis is the most responsive to exercise treatment.
Moderate scoliosis may be treated with exercise too, but wearing a medically prescribed brace is sometimes recommended as well. Moderate scoliosis may develop into severe scoliosis, defined as a spine curvature between 40 and 45 degrees.
Severe scoliosis usually needs to be corrected with spinal surgery.
When we visited an orthopedic surgeon, she explained that Olivia’s x-ray was already 50 degrees at the top and 38 degrees at the bottom therefore she would not be helped with bracing. The only other option offered on NHS currently is spinal fusion.
Spinal fusion is where the vertebrae are fused together to create a single bone which means that there will be no flexibility. Olivia will lose a lot of her flexibility and most likely not be able to continue with things that she loves such as gymnastics and dance.
The consequence of no surgery are internal organs being crushed, breathing and digestive problems and a lifetime of pain.
This is a life changing condition whether we have surgery or not so I have to make sure we choose the right option for Olivia.
I have spent hours and hours researching and emailing specialist surgeons all over the world who perform both spinal fusion and also a very new type of surgery called Vertebral Body Tethering (VBT) I sent Olivia’s X-rays to lots of surgeons overseas who all agree she is currently a good candidate for VBT.
VBT (vertebral body tethering)was pioneered in USA around 10 years ago. Going for this option would allow her to continue to grow and keep the flexibility in her spine.
Right now she is an ideal candidate for it if we move fast. It is a fairly new type of surgery in scoliosis that is producing some amazing results, I have chosen VBT as it is a keyhole surgery and will result in a quicker recovery time and Olivia will be able to go back to school and activities within weeks plus it will give the best chance of preserving her spine mobility.
The surgery is best done on younger patients while their skeleton is fairly immature and those with a curve under 70 degrees are excellent candidates for it.
VBT has recently been approved for trials on the NHS, but by the time that happens it would be too late for Olivia.
Currently there is a Shriners hospital in Philadelphia that will offer the surgery to people who fit the criteria, even international patients, at no cost. Which providing Olivia is a candidate will be amazing, but we have to get her there, and be able to stay in Philadelphia for possibly 6 weeks and then be able to return if there are any issues and for follow ups every year. This cost is obviously quite a lot and unfortunately more than I can afford so I am trying to raise as much as possible to get us there.
We need to raise as much money as quickly as possible as any growth spurt could knock Olivia over the 70 degree cut off and could prevent her from being a candidate.
There are also options to go to Turkey, Spain or Germany. While travel to these areas will be cheaper than the hospital in Philadelphia there is a cost for the surgery anything up to 40000 Euros.
The decision of where we are going to go depends on how much we can raise and where Olivia's curve is at that time.
This means so much to me because my children are my entire world, I would move heaven and earth to make sure they have everything they need, and Olivia needs this without it she will have to have a surgery that will leave her flexibility at the bare minimal. Possibly never to be able to even touch her knees let alone her toes. Coming from a girl who loves nothing better than to flip her body around into lots of flexible positions this is going to be devastating for her.
I would be eternally grateful to anyone who donates and helps us.
This is the young girl from Merseyside who Simon Cowell paid to get this VBT operation
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2SxYDgaaGc
Here are some links that explain in more detail what scoliosis and VBT are.
https://www.scoliosisassociates.com/treatments/non-fusion-corrective-surgery/?fbclid=IwAR0d95YP7PnfFFcq5oQD8DSu-dKoeAtXkwCSdHYEuur33YJbECTXl_xWUZ4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDcVlqKv6Jo&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR0Czf-pmAXwKT59U47JfEQP4n6GUUqqi8ZaLQRNA63b2ANrxCSxY0zh57U
https://posna.org/Blogs/The-Resident-Review/March-2015/Emerging-Technology-An-Interview-with-Randal-Betz?fbclid=IwAR3eTBYTePuKsP6mbq9kIW62gducf-zim_RKpCfphKVZVArEaE8MjPgbu-M
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fh7WQj9cFs&fbclid=IwAR26YMJEUdzq_CjNSBn_-cYJ8p0mDg8_CXDeKlEQXRhXchx9LhguVKko3yc