Support Andres's journey with arthrogryposis

UPDATE: December 2023

We have a date! 13th March 2024 for the surgery itself. 1st March 2024 to quarantine for a week before a clinic visit on 8th March!!

We will need to stay in South Carolina for 4 months for physio and rehabilitation. It's all happening really quickly and intensely but we are happy to have concrete plans.

My son, Andres, was born in December 2021 with a rare and complex physical disability called arthrogryposis.

Arthrogryposis occurs once in 10,000 births and is characterised by stiff joints and a lack of muscle tissue resulting in contractures that need physiotherapy, splinting and surgery. While Andres was developing in the womb, he had reduced movement, which meant that his muscles didn't develop and we're replaced with fibrous tissue. Andres is affected in all four limbs, he cannot bend his elbows, which means that he struggles to eat independently. He cannot raise his arms very high and lacks biceps.

His hips are externally rotated, his knees are stuck in a flexed position and he lacks quadriceps. He turns 2 years old in December and he has never been able to crawl, stand, or walk, he gets around on his back, he is always finding ways to adapt!

Andres needs extensive surgery to straighten his legs to give him a chance to stand or walk in the future. We live in the UK but Andres has been accepted by the Shriners Hospital in Greenville, South Carolina, USA as a candidate for hip and knee surgery. Shriners support patients with rare and specific conditions and arthrogryposis is one of them, this means that they have specialists using the most efficient surgical techniques that will allow Andres to have greater independence in the future.

Shriners do not charge for the surgery itself, however, we are fundraising for flights, accommodation, and other extra costs of an extended stay, as Andres will need intense and lengthy post-surgical physiotherapy.

Any donation to help our boy gain his independence and mobility would be massively appreciated. He is hilarious, capable, and determined and we want to give him every opportunity that we possibly can.

Follow Andres's journey on Instagram: andres_amc_journey