Update on Derry boy travelling to America for treatment

Little Patrick Burke is recovering at home after travelling to America to get his first of many casts to treat his scoliosis.
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Three-year-old Patrick was diagnosed with scoliosis, a condition that causes a curvature in the spine, at the start of this year but his mum Nikita suspected there was something wrong since he was very young. Nikita had to fight to get Patrick diagnosed, only to be told that he would have to wait a few years for treatment, risking the curvature getting worse. Nikita then decided to take matters into her own hands, researching early-intervention scoliosis treatments before coming across a group of parents from the north of Ireland who took their children to America for treatment. Nikita then set out to arrange for Patrick to go.

The journey has been long and difficult so far, between sorting documents, passports, fundraising for the expensive journeys and mentally preparing for the huge challenge ahead but, finally, little Patrick has his first cast on and has returned home to his daddy and sisters.

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Patrick’s mum Nikita said: “We went over there on Tuesday and thankfully he was grand on the flight over. We had to get a Covid test on Wednesday and meet the consultants and then he had to be put under anaesthetic to get an MRI to make sure everything was okay. He was put under again on Friday to get the cast on. He doesn’t like plasters or anything on his body so I was expecting the cast to be a nightmare but he’s been so good. He hasn’t pulled at it or anything although sometimes he says ‘me wobbly with my cast on’. He notices he’s not as steady as he would’ve been.

Little Patrick Burke after getting his first cast in America to treat his scoliosis.Little Patrick Burke after getting his first cast in America to treat his scoliosis.
Little Patrick Burke after getting his first cast in America to treat his scoliosis.

"It was really hard to leave my daughter Abaigh here in Derry. She cried and cried when we were leaving but I called her every day when we were over and she was grand with her daddy. It was the first time I had ever been away from her, except when she went for sleepovers in her grannies house but I would be there first thing to pick her up. I wouldn’t have gotten through any of this without their daddy. It was hard on him too because I went over and he had to stay at home worried sick, while working and looking after Abaigh too.”

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"The cast covers his abdomen from under his arms, right round his back to the very bottom of his waist. It’s hard for him to bend and when he gets on the ground, his trousers and pants go underneath the cast so we’re constantly pulling his trousers up! The cast will push his body so that his spine is straightened. It’s quite tight so it means that his curvature won’t get any worse now and he’ll begin to straighten.

"I have been through a lot in my life but this was the hardest thing I have ever done. I had to keep it together while I was over there for Patrick. I don’t know how I feel about going back over in eight weeks. It was the hardest thing but I know I have to do it. I just have to do it for him.

Patrick Burke preparing for scoliosis treatment in America.Patrick Burke preparing for scoliosis treatment in America.
Patrick Burke preparing for scoliosis treatment in America.

"He’ll have to get a new cast on in eight weeks time. I’m still waiting on a date but I think it’ll be around the first week in December, because Thanksgiving will be at the end of November. We had been fundraising a good bit before we went, his daddy and all his work colleagues in E&I Engineering did the Stairway to Heaven in Fermanagh and they raised a good bit of money. Abaigh sold bracelets at the Rathmor Fun Day and she raised £297 through that, she was all lured.

"It was a lot of stress to get us over there and we have enough money now to cover the next trip so we’ve decided to give the fundraising a break until after Christmas. Then, we’ll organise fundraising events and charity nights to get the funds to cover the costs for more trips over. The online fundraiser is still live, though, so people can donate there.”

Patrick still needs money to travel to America for further treatments to ensure he has a good quality of life when he’s older. To donate to the fundraiser, visit https://gofund.me/0c1bcaf0.

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