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INSIDE: Supporter Spotlight page 2 | Celebrating 20 Years page 3 | D is for Distraction page 4 SPRING 2012
Celebrating 20 Years... see Page 3 Walking Tall after Surgery at Sick Kids 12 Year-old Rhys Couper grew 6.5 centimetres in a day... and he cannot wait to get back on his scooter or bike and do a sponsored run for the Sick Kids Friends Foundation, but it might be a little while before he is able to do it. This brave 12 year-old pupil at Port Glasgow High School is recovering from Spinal surgery to correct curvature in his spine, which was carried out here at the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in January... but he had already had a long road of treatment prior to that! At just 18 months old, Rhys was diagnosed with Scoliosis and spent many years in plaster casts and a back brace. In 2006 it all became much worse when Rhys was diagnosed with a tumour in his spinal cord. Surgery was only able to remove a small amount of the tumour; taking more of the tumour would have increased risks of severe damage to Rhys’ central nervous system because of the angle of his spine, which was getting worse all the time. Mum, Wendy and Dad, Chris were at their wits’ end... but then after a consultation with Mr Tsirikos at last they heard some good news... he was prepared to consider surgery and the date was set for October. ‘I wasn’t only worried about the operation’ said Wendy, ‘I was also really stressed out about where we would stay while Rhys was through in Edinburgh at the hospital. I needn’t have worried though as a room had been sorted out for me in PJ’s Loft and I was able to stay so close to Rhys throughout all his treatment and the housekeepers were just lovely. Thank goodness Sick Kids supporters provide this marvellous service – I can’t tell you how grateful I was for it’ Without the operation, Rhys would be wheelchair bound
within a year as the curvature of his spine was already at 90 degrees. So on the 17th January this year, Rhys went through the doors of the operating theatre. ‘It was so nerve-racking’ said Wendy, ’but I can’t thank Mr Tsirikos and his team enough. They were all wonderful!’ When Rhys woke up he was pleased to learn that all had gone well – so well that he was back on his feet within a week – a real tribute to his bravery and the skill of the surgeons. Now, only two months after the op he is back at school for 2 and a half hours a day, 3 days a week and after Easter he will go back full time. And some time soon this brave young teenager will get on his bike to raise funds for Sick Kids, just as several years ago others did to purchase the state of the art operating table, highly specialised surgical equipment and image intensifier which are used for Spinal Surgery. Wendy and Chris cannot praise Mr Tsirikos and his team enough for the wonderful job they did but they are also very grateful to everyone whose donations bought this equipment in 2007 – they know that in theatre their son depended on the wonderful skill of the surgeons and Sick Kids Friend Foundation’s innovative equipment and in the Loft, their accommodation was also made possible through donations to the Friends Foundation which provides all the facilities and housekeeping services. That great combination of fantastic skills, innovation and support provided by you, our wonderful donors, is what makes the Sick Kids such a very special place. Now Rhys is standing tall again – he measured 6.5 cms more after the op – and he can’t wait to get on his bike and help make Sick Kids better!
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