This is a desperate plea for help for my son Valentin who is just eight!
A Fundraising campaign to finance several surgeries for Valentin.
Valentin is eight years old and needs your help. He suffers from a very rare congenital malformation of the hip/thigh called PFFD (Proximal Femoral Focal Deficiency). Only between five and ten children are born with PFFD each year in Germany. Valentin's deficiency occurs only around one birth per 500.000 births. It concerns a defect at the end of the thigh bone closest to the hip whereby it is too short or not completely developed. Valentin is an intelligent and happy boy who at the moment is managing with an Orthoprothetic leg which enables him to keep up with his peers at the kindergarten. In fact he is quite fast on his feet .
However Valentin needs several difficult and expensive surgeries. Dr. Dror Paley is internationally recognized for his expertise in limb lengthening and reconstruction. 2012 Valentin underwent the complicated surgery calles superhip 2, which is a complete reconstruction of his hip. Valentin's cartilaginous hip joint could be separated and with parts of his own bone fixed at the right place. For Valentin a hard thing, because he had to wear a heavy metal construct, called external fixator, which was fixed with pins on his hip joint for nearly six months and another 11 months, a big ordeal for such a small boy.
As Valentin continues to grow, 9 more operations will be necessary to extend the femur. The cost of the first surgery and the travel expenses were around 120,000 Euros, that's around US $150.000 .
It is with great anxiety that Valentin's Mother Martina Brand has been managing this journey completely alone for the last eight years. “It has been difficult for me to ask for help but nevertheless I must fight for the best possible care for my son! It is our only chance“ says the single mother. Martina is a certified graduate in business management, her health insurance is not financing Valentin's surgery in the USA. The situation is very depressing.
Can you help by making a donation? Any amount large or small is needed and will be deeply appreciated. |
Valentin with Dr. Dror und Jennifer Paley and Dr. Ben and Candy Carson on stage at the Breakers at the Gala 2015.
The money is to be collected from a public approved association Eisbären e.V. | and with Bild-Hilfsorganisation http://www.ein-herz-fuer-kinder.de/EHFK/deutsch/Projekte/Deutschland/Bayern/20130625-valentin/hueftfehlbildung.html Bild hilft e.V. - Ein Herz für Kinder |
and is used exclusively for Valentin's costs!
   | Thank you so much!
Let's help Valentin, send Valentin Brand a friend request on Facebook.
Let's help Valentin Like, Comment and Share his "Valentin helfen" Community page on Facebook. |