Support Robbie's Perthes Disease Journey, Surgery & Recovery

Dearest friends, family, and kind-hearted strangers,

We are reaching out to you today with heavy hearts, seeking your support for our 5-year-old son, Robbie, who was diagnosed with a rare bone disease, of the hip, in November of last year. In December, he underwent surgery to help loosen his hip, followed by Petrie casts on both legs. He now requires another procedure, only this time it is a major bone surgery. He will have a long recovery period after surgery, followed by a lifetime of monitoring of this rare disease.

Robbie's Diagnosis

Robbie was your normal active child who recently started limping without any history of injury. The limping was followed by pain when walking, prompting a doctor visit. After x-rays, Robbie was diagnosed with Perthes disease and avascular necrosis of the hip. This rare bone disease has caused the head of his femur to die (necrosis) due to a loss of blood supply (avascular). The exact cause of this condition remains unknown, and there is no known cure. The main goal is to keep the head of his femur inside of his hip socket, which requires much intervention through these surgeries.

X-ray taken in November of 2024

The Necessary Treatment

Surgery #1

Robbie had a surgical procedure on December 14th where a tendon was cut to help loosen his hip. Immediately following the surgery, he was given Petrie casts, also known as letter “A” casts (full-leg casts on both legs with a bar in between). These casts helped to keep his femoral head contained within his hip socket. Robbie required these casts and used a wheelchair for four weeks. He required a lot of care during this unique recovery process, including full-time wheelchair use, no weightbearing, and full hygiene. He did not fit through a doorway, muchless into our vehicle, so we needed to rent a van whenever we took him to doctor appointments. His father was forced to take time off of work during this whole time and lost wages during that period.

Picture depicting Petrie casts used following surgery #1

After Robert's cast removal, he could not bend his knees for two weeks, which required much of the same care as when he had the casts on.

Surgery #2 (now)

Robert’s most recent x-rays (February 20th, 2025) showed signs of bone fragmentation and the loss of containment of the femoral head within the hip socket. He requires bone surgery, specifically a procedure called a femoral osteotomy. This procedure involves cutting the femur and then reshaping it and holding it together with metal plates and screws. Following the surgery, he will require a 3-month recovery period. He will of course require another surgery later on to remove metal plates and screws.

X-ray taken February 20th, 2025.

How You Can Help

This GoFundMe campaign aims to aid us in covering:

• Copayments for the surgeries and wheelchair
• Travel expenses to the neighboring island of Oahu, where the procedures are performed
• Travel expenses include Airline tickets, overnight stays, and ground transportation
• Medical equipment and post-surgery supplies
• Rental van for trips to doctor’s appointments
• Lost wages while we are providing full-time care during recovery

Expressing Our Deepest Gratitude

Your kindness and support mean the world to us. We are deeply grateful for any assistance you can provide. Any donations, no matter the size, will be greatly appreciated during this challenging time.

We know that with the community's help we will be able to make this horrible reality a little easier to manage. Please share this with your friends and family. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your generosity.

With heartfelt thanks,

Luz Maria & Dillon Deardorff

(Mother & Father of Robbie)