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New User
Posts: 4
Location: Guatemala | Hi, my name is Ludwin Cruz and i'm the father of Luis David, he is almost 4 years old. He has congenital scoliosis but we dont know the degree of the curve, because there its no doctors with specialty in scoliosis in our country. We contact Shriners Hospital at St. Louis last year and they accepted our son for surgery but due the cost of the VEPTR he is on hold right know until they find a money donor for him. We want to know if this Hospital have enough experience in this type of surgeries?? And if there it's any kind of Foundation that helps Kids from outside U.S.. We know that if he received the VEPTR ASAP his chances to live a better life are greater. Please help us, any info will be thankful. |
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Veteran
Posts: 161
 
Location: Spring Lake, Michigan | Hello and welcome, I don't know about the Shrinners in St. Louis, but I can tell you that there are charities and foundations that help bring children from other countries to the US for medical help. There are air flights such as Miracle Flights for kids that fly children for medical help. There are others too. Does David have a syndrome or name of his medical condition? There are foundation out there that will sponsor a child that way. There is a foundation call The Helping Hands Foundation that sponsor children around the world. They do travel to the countries but they may sponsor David to bring him here for surgery. On the Helping Hands web site it says that they are going to be in Patzum, Guatemala in Nov. of 2011. But, for the VEPTR you may want to come to the USA for the implant. I live in Michigan and travel to San Antonio Texas for my son's surgery. Christus Santa Rosa Childrens Hospital is where it was invented. I just read an article that a Heart foundation out of Austin Texas sponsored a child from Iran for a life saving heart surgery at Christus Santa Rosa Childrens. You may even want to conact the Hospital there and see if there are other foundations that will sponsor David and bring him to Texas for the surgery. Lori Buegeler is the case manager there and could get the information you would need. Call (210)704-2988 and ask for her or her voice mail she will get back to you. But you can contact her quickly by e-mail [email protected]. Please feel free to e-mail me if you need any info or just want to talk, I hope this helps. [email protected] Take care and be blessed,
Tina |
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Expert
Posts: 3970
  
Location: Plymouth, Pennsylvania | WELCOME TO THE VEPTR BOARDS LUDWIN...GLAD TO HAVE YOU, AND THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR SON WITH US...
I HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE OF 'ST LOUIS', BUT THE 'SHRINERS' ARE A EXTRAORDINARY GROUP WITH WONDERFUL DOCTORS AND SURGEONS...ONE OF TH 'CORE' VEPTR SURGEONS IS CONNECTED WITH 'THE SHRINERS HOSPITAL' IN PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA...
I AM CURIOUS, WHY THEY ARE SEDING YOU TO 'ST. LOUIS'? JUST CURIOUS...
'VEPTR' WITH OUT A DOUBT, IS A LIFE-SAVING SURGERY FOR THE KIDDOS...'OUR ZOE' INCLUDED...WELOOK FORWARD TO HEARING MORE FROM YOU...
GOD BLESS... |
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Regular
Posts: 72
Location: Monroe City, MO | Hi Ludwin,
I live near the St. Louis area and my daughter had her first VEPT implant surgery in January of this year. She is 8. I think the doctor in St. Louis that does the VEPTR has considerable experience doing that operation, enough so that I trusted my daughter to their care. We are still having complications with pain from the surgery but I'm not sure that wouldn't have happened no matter where we went. My daughter has many other medical issues other than scoliosis. My advice to you would be to try to get accepted into a Shriners at one of the other hot spots like Philidelphia or if they have one in San Antonio TX. But if you can't, I would think St. Louis could handle your needs.
Mary |
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Veteran
Posts: 161
Location: Spring Lake, Michigan | The web is The Healing Hands Foundation.org not the helping hands. Also, check out Mercy Medical Airlift. |
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New User
Posts: 4
Location: Guatemala | TKS Tina. Your info. is very helpful for us. We will contact Lori to see if she can help us. Blessings to you and your son. |
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New User
Posts: 4
Location: Guatemala | TKS Johanna. to answer your question, they send us to Shriners at ST. Louis because the Foundation that its willing to sponsor us had thier Headquarters in there, the World Pediatric Project. That's why we are looking for other options because we are not 100% sure they accept us and the time its passing so fast, and the curve of Luis David its getting worse. We know the benefits of the VEPTR after seeing so many cases like Zoe's. But we are glad that we are not alone in this journey. As soon we get any news or questions we'll write you. Blessings. |
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We are new here and we are From Guatemala.
