A NORTH Belfast teenager who is suffering from an aggressive form of scoliosis is to receive a specialist brace this week after the local community succeeded in raising the necessary funds needed to pay for it.
Pearse Campbell-Quinn (18), from the New Lodge was diagnosed with epilepsy and cerebral palsy at 15 months. He developed an aggressive form of scoliosis last year. In the space of the last 12 months, he has developed a 74 degree curvature on his spine.
In recent months, the curve has begun crushing his organs and if left untreated, could lead to him losing his life.
After research the family found a doctor at the Kingston Scoliosis Clinic in London who agreed to see Pearse last week to carry out scans and measure him for a brace. Family and friends then set up a GoFundMe page to raise the funds needed to pay for the costs of the consultation, brace and travel, as well as private physio afterwards.
The family attended appointments on April 8th, which also happened to be Pearse’s mother, Aisling's birthday.
Aisling told belfastmedia.com: "I can't thank everyone enough and don't know how to repay the kindness and support we have received from the whole community for supporting us and giving us hope."
Pearse and his parents are now heading back to England to collect the braces in London.
Aisling said: "The team in London found that Pearse will need a mixture of two braces, which together would slow or stop progression of the spine getting worse and I was also told it would help with retraining and maintaining a corrective posture.
"Both types of braces may slow progression and give us time to get him fit for surgery because he will still need surgery and we are so thankful that they could help us to try and stop this curve crushing his organs and giving him a bit of his life back," she said.
Pearse and his family are very much looking forward to the improved quality of life these braces would offer the teenager, who is a pupil at Glenveagh school.
