Help Rowan improve his mobility!

Rowan is a sweet 3 year old little boy with spina bifida myelomeningocele and other associated diagnoses such as hydrocephalus etc. Rowan was operated on inutero at 24 weeks to slow down and prevent further damage from his defect. Preserving that nerve function was just the first of many steps to help him live the best life possible. He's gone to weekly physical therapy since he was 5 weeks old. He's worked very hard at home and out and about to increase his mobility. As a matter of fact, his hips which were previously fully dislocated have since stayed in the sockets due to his persistent weight baring and strength training.

Now at 3 years old, Rowan gets around very well in his posterior walker. He recently began to take some fully independent steps! He is so close to walking on his own.

Having been on the waiting list since late last summer, we received notice that a spot has opened up for him at a nationally recognized intensive therapy program a half hour from home. After a lot of moving around of appointments and schedules, we've accepted the slot to begin on 4/15! He will attend 5 days a week for 3 weeks amounting to nearly a year worth of therapy all in 3 weeks time!

In addition, Rowan is scheduled to have surgery on his ankles in June in West Palm Beach. He will be in bilateral full leg casts for two weeks. He will then attend daily therapy to regain any lost tone. A month after surgery, he will go back to West Palm beach to attend another intensive therapy program this time for a week. This will include training on a spinal stimulation system we've been wanting to try to a while now.

In between all of that we have 4 separate days of appointments in Orlando for preop related as well as his standard testing.

So here's where you can help! As a family of 6, capping out our out of pocket Max every year in addition to many things not covered by insurance, these things can become financially debilitating at times. We're always asked how people can help with Rowan and we greatly appreciate all of the moral support we've received over the years. If you are able to make a donation to help cover some of these costs, it would definitely help to lighten the financial burden.

Examples of costs you will help with:

All uncovered costs related to these therapies and surgery, which unfortunately there are many portions which they do not cover

Hotel stays for much travel the next 3 months

Gas to drive to and from home and Orlando, West Palm Beach and St Petersburg a head spinning number of times.

Purchasing the spinal stimulation system which insurance does not cover

And potentially purchasing a vibration plate to help with muscle tone and if we can swing it, an adaptive bicycle so that he can participate in outdoor time with his friends and siblings more easily.

Again, we all greatly appreciate how much everyone has supported our little guy since day one. We would give him the entire world if we could. He truly deserves every advantage in life that we are able to give him. He is so brave and so strong and we just know he will do amazing things in life!