Research that Benefits Children and Families

This week we have to share a positive example of the benefits of research. This is a picture of my son at age 7. Below is a picture of my son at age 11. A picture can say a 1000 words, and I believe these pictures show the positive effects of research. When my son was 7, he was diagnosed with Perthes, which is a break down of the femoral head. He went from playing soccer, to being told not to run, he had pain and walked with a limp. After many misdiagnoses and doctors own beliefs of how this should be treated, we found a group of doctors that were experts on Perthes. Other doctors around the nation, said their method was experimental, they refused to use it. These doctors researched how the external fixator can help the children with perthes, in the same way they use it to help the children with limb issues, such as short limbs, bones broken in the growth plate, club feet, and many other conditions. My son had an external fixator drilled into his bones and wore it for 4 months and spent 2nd grade in a wheelchair and used a walker. The research continues and I am proud to say that Connor was part of this. He is now playing premier level soccer and no one can tell anything was wrong. A few months ago, I got a call from someone at the hospital and I was asked to be part of a research study. I answered questions about how my son is doing emotionally. I am proud to say, he is a stronger person now because of what he went through.