Tara Anne's Surgeries in Australia
Donation protected
I was born with a paralyzed left hand due to delivery trauma. At age nine fate dealt me another blow and I lost my left leg to the flesh eating disease( known as necrotising fasciitis). An amputation was done urgently to arrest the bacteria from spreading throughout my body and this surgery effectively saved my life. As a result, my leg was amputated just below my hip, leaving only 8.2 cm of my femur surrounded by loose skin grafted flesh.
After an extended stay in the hospital following the amputation, I was faced with a new reality; life with a second disability. Three months after my amputation I went to be fitted with my first prosthetic. This posed a massive challenge to the prosthetist, as there was very little residual limb to attach a prosthetic to.
Nonetheless, we gave it a try. I wanted to do everything I could to return to a normal childhood. The first type of suspension method that we tried was socks and a belt. This worked decently for a few months due to the fact that my activity level was very low (I was just out of hospital). The major problems with this arose during the summer months. The belt caused welts and abrasions across my stomach and I would very often develop rashes under it. This was not the independence that I had striven for. I knew that I had to find a better solution.
The nature of the amputation resulted in an uncomfortable fit of the artificial limb which meant frequent adjustments and changes. My prosthetist spent countless hours trialing various means of suspension and each time they thought they had found a solution; it would fail a few months later. The discomfort I experienced when weight bearing on my prosthetic caused me to acquire repetitive strain injuries on my sound limbs. I developed chronic ankle, knee and lower back pain, as well as shoulder pain from using a crutch for balance and support. Overall walking soon became one of my most difficult tasks.
In the fall of 2016, I began University. This is when I knew for sure that something had to change. This was the first time that I did not have my parents to drive me everywhere. I very quickly found myself unable to participate in normal university life, because I found that walking put such a strain on my body. I would avoid joining any clubs or going out with friends because I knew that if I walked a little extra today, I would be sore and in too much pain to make it to class tomorrow. When I stopped going to my lectures and seminars unless they were absolutely mandatory, I became acutely aware that something was wrong. This is not who I am. I love learning and socializing and just simply getting the most out of each experience that I possibly can. This is not the life that I want to lead.
When I was in Sydney in August 2016 I had a consultation with Dr.Munjed Al Muderis who proposed a new advancement in surgical technology that would exponentially increase my quality of life. Osseointegration would eliminate the need for a socket prosthesis, something that I have grappled and struggled with for half of my life now. Since my residual limb is so short a new limb lengthening procedure with the Precice Freedom nail was suggested with a subsequent Osseointegration. It would provide me with more control over the prosthetic and would greatly reduce the stress that I currently place upon my sound limbs. Overall, I would experience a dramatic change in my quality of life.
Unfortunately, these surgeries are not offered in Canada. I applied to the Canadian Government for funding but my application was declined because they consider the bone lengthening surgery experimental (only nine have been done in the world).
The total cost of the Bone lengthening with the Precice nail and Osseointegration surgeries is around - $AU 200,000
I have decided to go ahead with the surgery, as I am confident that this would change my life and give me a chance to live independently as an adult. The bone lengthening surgery has been fixed for the 19th of January, 2017 in Sydney, Australia.
The 90-day bone lengthening process that starts in Australia will be continued in Canada. After the bone lengthening process, there will be a six month to a year consolidation time for the lengthened bone to harden before proceeding with the osseointegration surgery.
I appeal to your generosity and would greatly appreciate any financial assistance to help fund these surgeries. No amount is too small. If the surgeries are successful and we have full faith they will be, I will once more strive to be a normal adult with a dignified life.
With a spirit of competition and love for life I have a few achievements that make me smile:
Canadian record holder in the 200 m butterfly – Para – S6 class
Mayor’s award for contribution to the War Amps of Canada
Duke of Edinburgh Award - Gold
Para PanAm games 2015 trials and Paralympic 2016 trials for swimming.
Canada Cord (highest award in Girl Guides). Successfully completed the IB diploma and was in Deca (business club), IB Ensemble and Model UN,
After an extended stay in the hospital following the amputation, I was faced with a new reality; life with a second disability. Three months after my amputation I went to be fitted with my first prosthetic. This posed a massive challenge to the prosthetist, as there was very little residual limb to attach a prosthetic to.
Nonetheless, we gave it a try. I wanted to do everything I could to return to a normal childhood. The first type of suspension method that we tried was socks and a belt. This worked decently for a few months due to the fact that my activity level was very low (I was just out of hospital). The major problems with this arose during the summer months. The belt caused welts and abrasions across my stomach and I would very often develop rashes under it. This was not the independence that I had striven for. I knew that I had to find a better solution.
The nature of the amputation resulted in an uncomfortable fit of the artificial limb which meant frequent adjustments and changes. My prosthetist spent countless hours trialing various means of suspension and each time they thought they had found a solution; it would fail a few months later. The discomfort I experienced when weight bearing on my prosthetic caused me to acquire repetitive strain injuries on my sound limbs. I developed chronic ankle, knee and lower back pain, as well as shoulder pain from using a crutch for balance and support. Overall walking soon became one of my most difficult tasks.
In the fall of 2016, I began University. This is when I knew for sure that something had to change. This was the first time that I did not have my parents to drive me everywhere. I very quickly found myself unable to participate in normal university life, because I found that walking put such a strain on my body. I would avoid joining any clubs or going out with friends because I knew that if I walked a little extra today, I would be sore and in too much pain to make it to class tomorrow. When I stopped going to my lectures and seminars unless they were absolutely mandatory, I became acutely aware that something was wrong. This is not who I am. I love learning and socializing and just simply getting the most out of each experience that I possibly can. This is not the life that I want to lead.
When I was in Sydney in August 2016 I had a consultation with Dr.Munjed Al Muderis who proposed a new advancement in surgical technology that would exponentially increase my quality of life. Osseointegration would eliminate the need for a socket prosthesis, something that I have grappled and struggled with for half of my life now. Since my residual limb is so short a new limb lengthening procedure with the Precice Freedom nail was suggested with a subsequent Osseointegration. It would provide me with more control over the prosthetic and would greatly reduce the stress that I currently place upon my sound limbs. Overall, I would experience a dramatic change in my quality of life.
Unfortunately, these surgeries are not offered in Canada. I applied to the Canadian Government for funding but my application was declined because they consider the bone lengthening surgery experimental (only nine have been done in the world).
The total cost of the Bone lengthening with the Precice nail and Osseointegration surgeries is around - $AU 200,000
I have decided to go ahead with the surgery, as I am confident that this would change my life and give me a chance to live independently as an adult. The bone lengthening surgery has been fixed for the 19th of January, 2017 in Sydney, Australia.
The 90-day bone lengthening process that starts in Australia will be continued in Canada. After the bone lengthening process, there will be a six month to a year consolidation time for the lengthened bone to harden before proceeding with the osseointegration surgery.
I appeal to your generosity and would greatly appreciate any financial assistance to help fund these surgeries. No amount is too small. If the surgeries are successful and we have full faith they will be, I will once more strive to be a normal adult with a dignified life.
With a spirit of competition and love for life I have a few achievements that make me smile:
Canadian record holder in the 200 m butterfly – Para – S6 class
Mayor’s award for contribution to the War Amps of Canada
Duke of Edinburgh Award - Gold
Para PanAm games 2015 trials and Paralympic 2016 trials for swimming.
Canada Cord (highest award in Girl Guides). Successfully completed the IB diploma and was in Deca (business club), IB Ensemble and Model UN,
Organizer and beneficiary
Sharmila D'souza
Organizer
Mississauga, ON
Tara Anne D'souza
Beneficiary
