Give Oden a Hand

Stephen Wojcik is organizing this fundraiser.

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In January 2012, at just ten months old, Oden received a pretty nasty burn on his right hand. It was immediately treated, and we're eternally thankful for the expertise of the ER team and the folks at Dell Children's in Austin ! The day after the burn, Oden was back to crawling and exploring like normal.

Dr. Henry was optimistic about the outcome, and after a few followup visits he recommended waiting until the scar had finished forming before taking the next steps. Around a year later, it was time to start looking into surgery to remove the scar tissue and get Oden's hand back to normal! It's heartbreaking to watch him try to use his hand for sign language or spread his fingers while practicing gymnastics. As he grows, the scar tissue stays the same - so his frustration is only increasing.

We've since moved to Missoula, Montana, and I've spent over a year and a half looking for the best place for the surgery to be completed (after being told by our pediatrician that he couldn't recommend anyone in MT). As with any important medical procedure, cost was a big factor, even with insurance.

One of the hospitals I had contacted was Shriners Hospitals for Children — Boston . In addition to being a world leader in the field of burn treatment, Shriners is also known for being very flexible and generous when it comes to the cost of treatment, upholding a commitment to providing excellent care without regard to 'ability of a patient or family to pay.'

So when they contacted me to say that an opening for surgery was available at the end of this month, I jumped on the opportunity!

Now we're scrambling to plan a trip out to Boston in the days after Christmas, anticipating at least two days at the hospital and around a month of followup visits. It's a disruption to our lives, but the planned outcome makes it totally worth it.

Since we expect the surgery to be covered by Shriners, insurance or both, that's not an immediate concern. But a month off work while paying for our apartment in MT (plus travel and living expenses while we're in Massachusetts) is a huge burden to look forward to on top of the pressure accompanying the procedure.
My family is doing everything they can - their support isn't a surprise, but it always amazes me how willing they are to give whatever they have in order to help others. Adding your support will make sure that the process is as stress-free as possible for both me and Oden, and give us the best Christmas season that we could imagine!