Lacie's scoliosis journey

For anyone who's just come across our story.
We started fundraising in November 2020 for Lacie to receive this pioneering surgery for her scoliosis. We amazingly hit target hours before we left. We quarantined in a hotel in Turkey for 10 days before surgery, Lacie then underwent an 8 hour long operation on the 1/5/21. Professor Alanay was unsure whether to correct the top curve as well as the bottom, he decided to only correct the bottom, hoping the top would then correct itself.
The results of her Lumber are better than we could have ever imagined, the top curve improved by 10 degrees, however this wasn't enough of an improvement and for this reason it's making her unbalanced, therefore Lacie will need to wear a brace for 3/6 months to try and correct the top curve.

Although we hit target, which is amazing - thank you to everyone who was involved in making this happen for Lacie. We need to continue fundraising a little more to cover the costs of the brace, the extra hospital stay, the check ups and ongoing treatment in Turkey for the foreseeable future.
So please continue to share our story and help us in anyway you can, it will be very much appreciated. Lacie was so so brave, we are totally in awe of her, she's now at home recovering well.

Lacie Carter, 14, desperately needs LIFE CHANGING spine surgery abroad which isn't covered on the NHS, she has scoliosis, which is curvature of the spine, she has two curves, an S shape. She is in pain on a daily basis now, not being able to sit for long or walk far. 

 

Lacie is a kind hearted , lovely girl who would do absolutely anything for anyone. 

We are a private family and we are stepping out of our comfort zone fundraising for our daughter, it's been incredibly hard especially during covid-19 but we're not giving up. After hours and hours of research, we found a pioneering surgery in Turkey which is the best option for Lacie because of where and how big her curves are. We don't have the funds and this is the only way we can try and raise the money in order to give Lacie the best possible life. If you can, please help us. Lacie is in pain daily as her curves are progressing rapidly. 

 

The only surgical solution currently on the NHS is fusion where the discs are removed from between the vertebrae, the vertebrae’s are fused rigid making the spine rigid and metal rods are attached to secure it in place. 

Lacie would need fusing as low as vertebrae L4/5 - the lumber part of the spine where most of the spine’s flexibility is. Fusing this low would severely limit Lacie's flexibility and day-to-day movement. Lacie's also a keen dancer and being fused this low in the UK, she wouldn't be able to dance at all in the way she can now. If Lacie is fused, there's a high chance she would get disc degeneration and would need another fusion surgery later on in life but as low as her pelvis. Hearing those words about our 14 year old daughter is just devastating. 

 

VBT which we're going abroad for, uses a tether rather than metal rods. It's keyhole surgery and less invasive. Rather than making a huge opening down the back that leaves a big scar, VBT requires just six small incisions at the side of the body through which the surgeons insert all their equipment, and the tether. 

No discs are removed and the spine stays in its natural state. Lacie will be able to keep all of her flexibility, going forward. And, while a spine can’t be unfused, tethering is reversible. 

Whilst there is a viable option, we are desperate to try to leave lacie's spine in a natural state and not restrict her mobility at such a young age.

The NHS will be trialing VBT in the next year or so, however it will be to late for our daughter then. 

Below is a photo of lacie's curves and the difference in fusion (NHS) and VBT 

Please donate what you can. 

We hope Lacie can have the best chance at a normal childhood and quality of life in her future.

It's so hard to know there's surgery out there to help our daughter but we feel so hopeless.

Lacie's our amazing little warrior who's going through so much recently. 

She has lost almost every bit of confidence she had due to scoliosis and she developed school anxiety, we have been home educating her since September. She hates her appearance, and now wears baggy clothes as her clothes don't sit right on her hips. VBT will straighten Lacie up and her body will be back to how it was before. She is only 4ft 8in, surgery will also help her to grow. 

Lacie hasn't been able to dance for a while now which would naturally bring her down as dancing is what makes her happy. 

We're hoping once she has VBT she can get back to her passion of dance which might help bring her confidence back. 

 

We are truly grateful for any support from family, friends, neighbours and the community to help us make this surgery possible. The quality of her life depends on raising these funds. Please help us get there. 

For more updates and to follow Lacie's journey, please join us on Facebook by searching 
Lacie's VBT scoliosis journey 

 

Thank you so much.

Laura-lea and Mitch x

Lacie last summer after donating 10 inches of hair to the little princess trust. 

Lacie aged 7 after one of her dance competitions.