Quinn Callander and Brayden Grozdanich (YouCaring.com)
Seven-year-old Brayden Grozdanich, who has cerebral palsy, was able to undergo life-changing surgery, partly because of the fundraising teamwork of his best friend, Global News reported.
According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), cerebral palsy refers to any one of a number of neurological disorders that appear in childhood. The disorders are caused by abnormalities in parts of the brain that control muscle movement and it can permanently affect body movement and muscle coordination.
Brayden’s cerebral palsy caused his muscles to tighten, making stretching exercises at physical therapy sessions painful. Brayden and Quinn Callander, both of Maple Ridge, British Columbia, have been best friends since kindergarten. After attending a physical therapy session with Brayden one day, Quinn saw the discomfort his friend went through, and decided he wanted to help raise money a surgery that would cost C$20,000.
During the procedure, Perc lengthening, surgeons make microcuts into tendons, helping to release muscle tightness and leaving them in a more relaxed state. The surgery helps ease pain and makes it easier for cerebral palsy sufferers to walk.
Together with their families, the boys started a lemonade stand and also collected donations online. Their goal was C$20,000 (US$18,230) , but they ended up raising over C$61,000 (US$55,603).
Brayden underwent the procedure August 7, and is scheduled to be back home in a few days.
“I just think it will be a completely different boy that we see,” his physical therapist Brenda Horton, of Kidsfirst Physiotherapy, told Global News. “And his independence is going to be much greater than it was before.”