Help Shannon get an ExoSym Prosthetic Device

Shannon Samuel is organizing this fundraiser.

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Hi, my name is Shannon. As many of you may know, my husband, our five kids and I were in a motor vehicle accident the end of November 2022. I suffered a life changing injury to my right leg/ ankle. I was transported by ambulance to the closest hospital where I received the news that I suffered a class 3 pilon fracture, trimalleolar fracture of my tibia and comminuted fracture of my fibula.

I had surgery to place an external fixator the same day to stabilize my injuries while we waited for the soft tissue swelling to decrease. Three weeks later I would return to have an open reduction internal fixation performed. The surgery took six hours and I lost quite a bit of bone as well as nearly all of the cartilage in my ankle joint. I had five plates and tons of screws placed.

I have been battling every day with poor joint mobility and chronic pain, swelling, and post traumatic arthritis. Some of the bones in the distal tibia never fully healed and I have a nickel sized hole in my articular surface.

This past December I had surgery to remove most of the hardware and debridement of the joint. The hardware that is remaining goes through the joint and it literally feels like I'm walking on nails. Drs now want to fuse my joint which would completely immobilize it. I am not yet ready to go that route as there is a possibility that it won't work.

Prior to this injury I was an active Mom and nurse. I enjoyed walking and going to the beach with my family and taking care of patients recovering from their own surgeries. This injury has been devastating for me. Walking is incredibly painful and currently there is no way I could run or jog if I needed to. I haven't been able to go back to work, and I avoid activities that require a lot of walking or standing. I desperately want to get back to some sense of normalcy.

I am raising funds to get an ExoSym Prosthetic Device made only in Gig Harbor, WA. This device is for those who have undergone limb salvage, have pilons, have had fusions, as well as other lower limb injuries.

It is an offloading brace that also provides propulsion. It has been life changing for so many people and I am hopeful that this device will help me to live more pain free and get back to working and having fun with my kiddos.

The cost of the device is $9000. This is a private pay program as they don't participate with insurance due to the low rate of reimbursement. I would need to travel to Washington and am scheduled to do so in July.

I am anticipating that the cost for myself and a loved one to fly and lodge for 9 days will be about $3000. Thus why I have set my goal at $12,000.

Any help during this time would be greatly appreciated. Please share the link.