Help Katie get to Poland for hip surgery.

HI EVERYONE. I AM KATIES MUM ANTOINETTE

LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT KATIE.

SHE IS 15 YEARS OLD AND HAS CEREBRAL PALSY,

KATIE WAS REFINED TO HER WHEELCHAIR AND WALKER UNTIL SHE WAS 7 YEARS OLD. WE BROUGHT HER TO ST LOUIS CHILDRENS HOSPITAL IN MISOURRI FOR SELECTIVE DORSAL RHYSOTOMY SURGERY. BASICALLY THIS SURGERY GOT KATIE OUT OF HER WHEELCHAIR AND UP WALKING INDEPENDENTLY FOR THE 1ST TIME IN HER LIFE AT THE AGE OF 7. IT IS A VERY COMPLICATED SURGERY BUT THE DIFFERENCE IN KATIE JUST HOURS AFTER HAVING SDR WAS PHENOMINAL. HER LEGS WERE NO LONGER TIGHT, THE SPASTICITY WAS GONE FROM HER BODY AND SHE WASN’T IN PAIN FROM THE TIGHTNESS IN HER LEGS.

KATIE HAS GONE FROM STRENGTH TO STRENGTH SINCE HAVING SDR BUT SHE ALSO HAS A DISLOCATED HIP THAT IS CAUSING HER A LOT OF PROBLEMS AND DOCTORS HERE IN IRELAND WONT HELP HER. THERE HAVE BEEN MANY EXCUSES AS TO WHY THEY WONT HELP, THE MAIN ONE BEING SHE IS TOO WEAK.

NOW WHEN WE DISCUSSED BRINGING KATIE TO ST LOUIS, WE WERE TOLD KATIE WAS TOO WEAK AND WASN’T A SUITABLE CANDIDATE FOR SDR IN THE UK BUT KATIE CAME BACK FROM ST LOUIS WALKING, AND SINCE THEN SHE VERY RARELY USES HER WHEELCHAIR. SO IN THIS INSTANCE DOCTORS WERE WRONG

BECAUSE DOCTORS IN IRELAND WONT HELP KATIE WE ARE NOW FORCED TO HAVE TO BRING HER TO THE PALEY INSTITIUTE IN POLAND FOR HIP SURGERY. SHE DOESN’T GET ANY SERVICES THROUGH HER SERVICE PROVIDER IN IRELAND . SHE VERY RARELY GETS PHYSIOTHERAPHY WHICH IS ESSENTIAL FOR ANYONE WITH CEREBRAL PALSY SO ITS LEFT TO ME TO KEEP KATIES STRENGHT UP TO KEEP HER OUT OF HER WHEELCHAIR. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON’T KNOW THE HEALTH SERVICES IN IRELAND AT THE MOMENT ARE NON EXISTENT FOR CHILDREN WITH ADDITIONAL NEEDS.

SO OUR NEXT STEP IS TO TAKE KATIE TO DR PALEY IN THE PALEY INSTITUTE IN POLAND.

WE HAD A ZOOM MEETING WITH DR PALEY ON 22ND AUGUST 2022 AND HE HAS AGREED TO SEE HER IN POLAND IN DECEMBER.

WHEN WE BROUGHT KATIE TO ST LOUIS WE GOT HER THERE THROUGH THE KINDNESS OF SO MANY PEOPLE FROM ALL AROUND IRELAND AND THE WORLD AND AS KATIE IS ACCEPTED FOR SURGERY IN POLAND WE WILL HAVE TO FUNDRAISE AGAIN.

WE SHOULDN’T HAVE TO BE DOING THIS AGAIN BUT WHAT OPTIONS DO WE HAVE. THE DOCTORS IN IRELAND WONT HELP SO IF A DOCTOR IN ANOTHER COUNTRY CAN THEN AS KATIES MUM I WILL GO TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH TO HELP HER.

I HAVE MADE COMPLAINTS, I HAVE ARGUED WITH DOCTORS, I HAVE PLEADED WITH DOCTORS TO HELP KATIE AND ITS ALL FALLING ON DEAF EARS.

WHY SHOULD WE HAVE TO FUNDRAISE TO TRAVEL TO ANOTHER COUNTRY TO GET CARE FOR OUR CHILDREN WHEN THERE ARE HOSPITALS ON OUR DOORSTEPS THAT COULD DO THIS SURGERY FOR KATIE.

I WILL BE POSTING A LOT MORE TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT THE LACK OF SERVICES NOT ONLY FOR KATIE BUT FOR EVERY SINGLE CHILD IN IRELAND WHO IS BEING NEGLECTED BY THE HSE.

I WOULD APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT WITH OUR CAMPAIGN TO HELP KATIE TO KEEP WALKING AND NOT END UP BACK IN HER WHEELCHAIR BECAUSE IF I DON’T DO SOMETHING FOR HER THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO HER.

IF YOU HAVE GOT THIS FAR THANK YOU FOR LISTENING AND ILL SPEAK TO YOU ALL AS SOON AS I HAVE A DECISION FROM DR PALEY