Help Sharon Live Pain Free with SDR!
Donation protected
My sister Sharon was born premature and diagnosed with Spastic Diplegic Cerebral Palsy at 9 months old. Spastic Diplegia is a neurological condition, which permanently affects muscle control and coordination in the legs. Spasticity causes the muscles in her legs to be extremely tight and causes her a lot of pain. Sharon has undergone over 20 orthopedic surgeries in her lifetime to try and help her walk and reduce the pain she is in.
Nothing has ever held Sharon back, but the constant pain and increased stiffness from spasticity has always interfered with her daily life. When Sharon was 14, she began to experience intense sharp pain in her right foot. She would take 3 Advil every 4 hours at school in order to numb the pain so she could walk. Eventually, the Advil started to damage her liver and she had to use a wheelchair to keep the pain from getting worse. Eventually, her doctor performed two triple arthrodesis surgeries to fuse the bones in her foot together with the hope of stopping the pain, but the pain has continued for 24 years. As she continues to work two jobs and run around and play with her two kids, the pain has become worse than it has ever been.
On June 28, 2019, Sharon will undergo Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy (SDR) surgery by Dr. Park in St. Louis, Missouri.He is one of the only doctors in the U.S.who is willing to perform SDR surgery on adults and the only surgeon in the world who has performed SDR thousands of times. This is a life-changing, permanent surgery, which means that Sharon will no longer have to undergo muscle-lengthening surgery every few years to reduce the spasticity in her legs. SDR surgery involves probing and cutting some of the misfiring nerves in the spinal cord that contribute to spasticity in Sharon’s legs and feet. Enough healthy nerves are left intact so that she will have less trouble walking, while also minimizing the pain from extreme muscle tightness.It’s anticipated that Sharon’s energy will improve because she will no longer have to fight the resistance from her own muscles to walk.
Sharon will then undergo PERCS surgery performed by Dr. Matthew Dobbs to remove scar tissue and lengthen tendons in her legs to give her maximum benefit of the SDR surgery. It is her hope that the SDR and PERCS surgeries will be the last 2 surgeries she’ll ever need to address the pain and resistance caused by Cerebral Palsy.
Thankfully, the majority of the hospital costs of both the surgeries will be covered by her insurance. However, theplan does not cover the intensive therapy and rehab that Sharon must undergo after the surgery to retrain her “new legs” to walk. Physical therapy is very important post-surgery: 4-5 times a week for the first 6 months, 3-4 times a week for the next 6 months and then 1-2 times a week for the next year or two after that. In addition, the travel expenses for both surgeries, plus flights, hotel stays, and the necessary follow-up appointments will be significant, costing upwards of $30,000.
Many of you who know Sharon know her to be one the kindest, sweetest, most generous people you have ever met. She has never allowed her CP to keep her from loving others and being there for her friends and family. I cannot wait for her to experience the benefits of these surgeries to relieve her of the pain and muscle tightness that she has had to endure for her entire life.
Thank you in advance to everyone who donates. No amount is too small and is appreciated so much!
Nothing has ever held Sharon back, but the constant pain and increased stiffness from spasticity has always interfered with her daily life. When Sharon was 14, she began to experience intense sharp pain in her right foot. She would take 3 Advil every 4 hours at school in order to numb the pain so she could walk. Eventually, the Advil started to damage her liver and she had to use a wheelchair to keep the pain from getting worse. Eventually, her doctor performed two triple arthrodesis surgeries to fuse the bones in her foot together with the hope of stopping the pain, but the pain has continued for 24 years. As she continues to work two jobs and run around and play with her two kids, the pain has become worse than it has ever been.
On June 28, 2019, Sharon will undergo Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy (SDR) surgery by Dr. Park in St. Louis, Missouri.He is one of the only doctors in the U.S.who is willing to perform SDR surgery on adults and the only surgeon in the world who has performed SDR thousands of times. This is a life-changing, permanent surgery, which means that Sharon will no longer have to undergo muscle-lengthening surgery every few years to reduce the spasticity in her legs. SDR surgery involves probing and cutting some of the misfiring nerves in the spinal cord that contribute to spasticity in Sharon’s legs and feet. Enough healthy nerves are left intact so that she will have less trouble walking, while also minimizing the pain from extreme muscle tightness.It’s anticipated that Sharon’s energy will improve because she will no longer have to fight the resistance from her own muscles to walk.
Sharon will then undergo PERCS surgery performed by Dr. Matthew Dobbs to remove scar tissue and lengthen tendons in her legs to give her maximum benefit of the SDR surgery. It is her hope that the SDR and PERCS surgeries will be the last 2 surgeries she’ll ever need to address the pain and resistance caused by Cerebral Palsy.
Thankfully, the majority of the hospital costs of both the surgeries will be covered by her insurance. However, theplan does not cover the intensive therapy and rehab that Sharon must undergo after the surgery to retrain her “new legs” to walk. Physical therapy is very important post-surgery: 4-5 times a week for the first 6 months, 3-4 times a week for the next 6 months and then 1-2 times a week for the next year or two after that. In addition, the travel expenses for both surgeries, plus flights, hotel stays, and the necessary follow-up appointments will be significant, costing upwards of $30,000.
Many of you who know Sharon know her to be one the kindest, sweetest, most generous people you have ever met. She has never allowed her CP to keep her from loving others and being there for her friends and family. I cannot wait for her to experience the benefits of these surgeries to relieve her of the pain and muscle tightness that she has had to endure for her entire life.
Thank you in advance to everyone who donates. No amount is too small and is appreciated so much!
Fundraising team (2)
Melissa Bullock
Organizer
Wantagh, NY
Sharon Klein
Beneficiary
Joc C
Team member
